Schadenfreude 278: (A Continuing Series)

Dan Martin, Post (early edition, 5:12 pm):

For the first time since 2019, Yankees fans got to boo in The Bronx.

The Yankees suffered a season-opening 3-2 loss in 10 innings to Toronto on Thursday, blowing several opportunities to put the game away, including in the bottom of the ninth.

Then in the 10th, Nick Nelson allowed an RBI double to Randal Grichuk, scoring Jonathan Davis from second . . .

The Yankees failed to score in the bottom of the inning, as Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres all struck out against Julian Merryweather, but the game was really lost in the ninth, when the Yankees couldn't push the winning run across. . . .

Aaron Judge said of the crowd reaction . . . "[T]hey let us know when we don't do our job . . ."

Judge put himself at the top of the list, pointing to his inning-ending double play in the seventh, when the Yankees had the bases loaded and the game was tied, and then again two innings later, when he struck out with the winning run at third.

Gary Sanchez started the bottom of the ninth with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Mike Tauchman, who stole second.

After Jay Bruce struck out, Tauchman swiped third with Clint Frazier at the plate, forcing the infield in. Frazier then walked — replaced at first by Brett Gardner — to bring up DJ LeMahieu.

But LeMahieu grounded to third and Tauchman was thrown out at the plate, then Judge whiffed to end the threat and send the game to extra innings.

Kristie Ackert, Daily News:

[The Yankees lineup] went 4-for-32 with 13 strikeouts. . . . That included . . .Aaron Judge, who struck out swinging with the winning run on second in the bottom of the ninth. It also included three strikeouts from Giancarlo Stanton, who struck out with Judge placed on second base in the bottom of the 10th. The Yankees went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Thursday and stranded 10 runners.

"In the seventh having the bases loaded one out, I was just trying to get the ball in the air, give us the lead. Then I end up grounding out into double play ending the inning," Judge said. "Then there in the ninth too, same thing. Guys in scoring position, just, hit something the other way, get it in the gap and watch the guys run. I wasn't able to come through. Let the team down twice there.

"Even the ball over my head [Randal Grichuk's double in the 10th inning that scored Toronto's winning run]. That's another opportunity we could have at least held them or at least caught that or cut the guy off from scoring and didn't do it," Judge continued. "So, you know, a lot of missed opportunities on my part."

Joel Sherman, Post:

The Yankees welcomed fans back to their Stadium with the familiar. . . . 

Gleyber Torres is a second baseman playing shortstop and the Yankees remain challenged to score when the ball does not clear a fence. . . .

Judge was a main culprit, grounding into a double play with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh of a tie game and whiffing with two on to close the ninth. The Yanks had the leadoff runner on in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and with the automatic man on second in the 10th. They never scored. Overall, the Yanks were 3-for-19 with men on base and hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. Beginning with Judge's double play, the Yanks closed the game 0-for-10 with men on base with seven strikeouts.

Aaron Boone mentioned that he could feel the returning crowds "ready to erupt" late in the game. They did. In derision. It was particularly pointed toward . . . Stanton, who whiffed in each of his final three at-bats, each time with the tie-breaking run on base. . . .

Judge and Stanton had started together in just 33 of the Yankees' 222 regular-season games the past two years. But their presence together was not a positive Thursday. They were 1-for-10 with five strikeouts . . .

Dan Martin, Post:

Gleyber Torres is in better condition than he was for much of last season, but he still doesn't look much like a shortstop.

Torres had a pair of tough plays . . . on Thursday in the season opener.

The first came when Teoscar Hernandez hit a sharp grounder to lead off the top of the second, and the ball got by Torres and into left field. Hernandez scored later in the inning for the game's first run.

Torres had a worse play in the top of the ninth, again with Hernandez at the plate. Torres did not charge a grounder, then took his time getting rid of the ball. His throw to first was late and Hernandez had another hit.

Dan Martin, Post:

Giancarlo Stanton . . . went 0-for-5, struck out in his final three at-bats and heard boos after each of his final two plate appearances . . . 

Manager Aaron Boone said he didn't think the poor reception from the crowd would impact the slugger. . . . "[H]is process is so good, his game plan is so good and he's diligent."