The New York Yankees didn’t expect it to go like this. After clinching their first pennant since 2009, the Yankees are on the brink of being swept in the World Series following a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 Monday night.

It was a second consecutive 4-2 loss, but it never felt like the Yankees were in either game. Tuesday could mark the final game of the 2024 MLB season. The Yanks hope that's not the case, but they're the only ones who can eliminate that possibility.

“Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, per The Athletic. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game and force another one.”

The Yankees never led in Game 2 or 3. They've been ahead in three of the 28 innings played. While the pitching staff hasn’t been perfect, the offense is nowhere to be found.

The Yankees didn’t score in Game 3 until they were down to their final out. The American League's best offense in the regular season hasn’t shown up on MLB's grandest stage. The bright side is it can’t get much worse unless the Dodgers complete the sweep.

Yankees looking for answers with season on the line

New York Yankees bench reacts to a called strike three during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's hard to feel any optimism about the Yankees now with Game 3 feeling like an elimination game. Avoiding the sweep won’t turn the series around, but it would at least boost some life into the Yankee Stadium crowd.

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Another offensive showing like they had the past two games won’t get it done. The Yankees need to get on base early and do it often. The comeback can’t be made in one game, but it could start with it.

“I don't see us laying down tomorrow,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said, per ESPN.

Why would they? Some of these players might never be in a World Series again. Do they want their only taste of the Fall Classic coming in the form of a sweep?

There's a first for everything. It's undoubtedly a long shot, but the Yankees know a thing or two about 3-0 series comebacks. If it were the regular season, winning four games in a row doesn’t seem like such a daunting challenge. It's been proven impossible to do down 3-0 in the World Series to this point.

“We know the odds are stacked against us,” Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes said. “But this team is too resilient. I think we've shown enough fight in us to come back. If there's a team out there that can do it, it'll be us.”

The last time a team won Game 4 down 3-0 was in 1970. No team has forced a Game 6 after losing the first three games of the World Series. Your move, Yanks.