New York Yankees lose wild-card game to Red Sox

BOSTON - The New York Yankees were eliminated from the MLB playoffs with a 6-2 loss Tuesday night to the rival Boston Red Sox in the American League wild-card game.

"Guys are crushed," manager Aaron Boone said. "Tonight was a tough one to take."

Gerrit Cole won 16 games during the regular season, but including Tuesday’s loss was 1-3 at Fenway Park this season. For the night, Yankees pitchers issued seven walks, and four scored.

"This is the worst feeling in the world," the right-hander said. "There’s nothing that really makes you feel any better."

The Yankees now head into another intriguing offseason as they continue to try to piece together a roster capable of ending their 12-year World Series drought.

Tuesday's ending was fitting for a New York team that was inconsistent throughout 2021, tallying 13 straight wins in August and then dropping 11 of their next 13 games.

Along the way they lost several key pieces. Center fielder Aaron Hicks saw his season end in May following wrist injury. The bullpen took a hit three months later when lefty Zack Britton injured his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery.

There also were the unexpected absences of Aaron Judge, Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes Jr., Wandy Peralta, Kyle Higashioka and Gio Urshela after they tested positive for COVID-19 coming back from the All-Star break.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.