The New York Yankees fell apart in the middle of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night, and they never really recovered. Holding onto a five-run lead, the Yankees made a multitude of errors in the fifth inning and allowed the Los Angeles Dodgers to score five unearned runs to tie the game up at five.

The Yankees would inch back out in front, but the Dodgers were able to score two runs in the top of the eighth inning to grab a lead that they would not relinquish. Walker Buehler closed things out in the bottom of the ninth, and Dave Roberts and company took home the title for the second time in five seasons.

After the game, former Yankees third baseman and MLB legend Alex Rodriguez didn't mince words when discussing the Yankees' fifth inning collapse.

“This is one of the greatest meltdowns that I've ever seen in 40 years,” Rodriguez said on the postgame show on FOX.

Related New York Yankees NewsArticle continues below
Featured image Aaron Judge:
Yankees star Aaron Judge’s short-porch homer vs. Rangers sets new career mark
New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a grand slam home run in the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium.
1 player New York Yankees must trade before 2025 deadline
Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (15) argues with home plate umpire Carlos Torres (37) after being ejected during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Rangers’ Bruce Bochy gets ejected over Aaron Judge officiating

The Yankees certainly figured out a way to lose this game against all odds. It was the first time this season that they have lost a game while holding a five run lead, and the first time they have done so at home since 2022.

This loss will be especially painful for the Yankees, but not only because it's the World Series. Aaron Boone and company let both Game 1 and Game 5 get away from them, so they probably feel like they should be heading back to Los Angeles with a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Yankees held a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning of Game 1 before allowing Mookie Betts to tie the game with a sacrifice fly before Freddie Freeman ended it with a walk-off grand slam. Combine that with the comedy of errors that took place tonight, and you have a series that got away from them.

The Yankees will be left licking their wounds after this one, and they now have a very pivotal offseason in front of them. The first priority needs to be re-signing Juan Soto in free agency, and then they can focus on getting back to this stage again.