The New York Yankees never held a lead during their ALDS sweep against the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays. An offense that managed just five runs across three losses and a defense that repeatedly gave away opportunities left the Yankees little to no chance of recovering.

Wednesday’s 4-3 defeat ended the season, but responsibility stretches beyond the final out. Coaching decisions and roster limitations contributed. Still, Trent Grisham, Max Fried, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. deserve particular scrutiny for performances that helped turn a winnable series into an embarrassing exit for the Yankees.

Trent Grisham left the lineup searching for production

With Aaron Judge sidelined by a calf injury, the Yankees needed their remaining hitters to sustain rallies. Grisham instead finished the series without a hit, going 0-for-11.

His struggles became costly when manager Aaron Boone moved him into the leadoff spot for Game 3. Grisham went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, leaving New York without production from the top of its order.

Bryan Baker struck him out swinging to finish the sweep. That final plate appearance captured his series, but the larger failure was his inability to provide even one hit across three games.

Boone bears responsibility for the lineup assignment. Grisham nevertheless had to deliver once the Yankees put him there. An offense already missing its biggest threat could not afford such an empty contribution from a hitter entrusted with five plate appearances in an elimination game.

Max Fried surrendered the decisive Game 3 swing

The Yankees needed Fried to keep Game 3 within reach, and the offense twice erased an early deficit. He failed to protect the second tie.

Fried allowed seven hits and four earned runs across 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Vilade’s solo homer supplied one setback, but Victor Mesa Jr.’s two-run shot in the sixth delivered the decisive damage.

New York had fought back to 2-2. Fried then surrendered the swing that restored the Rays’ advantage, forcing an already struggling lineup to mount another comeback.

Seven strikeouts and no walks showed that his outing was not a complete breakdown. The problem was the damage attached to his mistakes. The Yankees eventually scored three runs, leaving Fried’s four-run line central to the outcome.

A frontline starter does not have to be perfect. In this elimination game, Fried needed to handle that sixth inning better.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. compounded offensive struggles with defensive mistakes

Chisholm hurt the Yankees on both sides of the ball before losing his starting spot in Game 3.

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He went 0-for-6 across the first two games, contributing to an offense that managed only two runs. His defense then compounded those difficulties.

In Game 2, Ryan McMahon’s error and Jonathan Aranda’s single created trouble before Chisholm’s off-balance throw sailed wide of first base. Yandy Diaz scored on the play.

Tampa Bay scored only once that inning, then added four in the fifth. Chisholm’s mistake nevertheless forced a struggling offense to play from behind.

Still, New York needed Chisholm to avoid forcing a difficult throw that surrendered a run. His combination of empty at-bats and costly execution gave the Yankees problems they could not overcome.

For the Yankees, a veteran expected to contribute in multiple ways instead became part of both failures defining the season ending sweep.