After Judge and Stanton come up empty in key spot, bullpen unravels for Yankees in Game 1 of ALDS

TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton had their chance.

When both big sluggers came up empty, the New York Yankees' leaky bullpen failed to get them another one.

New York trailed by two runs and had the bases loaded with nobody out as Judge stepped to the plate against Toronto Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman in the sixth inning of their AL Division Series opener Saturday.

But what looked like a prime opportunity soon fizzled, and the Yankees' shaky relief corps couldn’t keep the game close after that as New York lost 10-1.

Gausman struck out Judge on a 3-2 splitter for the first out of the sixth.

“That’s a huge, huge strikeout obviously to (a guy) who is going to be the MVP of the league, probably,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.

​​Cody Bellinger followed with a walk, forcing in New York’s lone run, but Gausman finished his outing by getting Ben Rice to pop out.

Louis Varland came on and struck out Stanton on four pitches, ending the at-bat with a 101 mph fastball.

“Varland executed a good heater to G that he was late on,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Just weren’t able to punch through like we needed to in an inning where we had a chance to have a big one.”

Gausman was full of praise for Varland, who joined Toronto in a deadline deal from Minnesota.

“You’ve kind of seen him take his game to another level when he needs to,” Gausman said. “That was one of the greatest trades we’ve ever made.”

Judge went 2 for 4 with a single and a double Saturday, making him the only Yankees player to reach base more than once. He reached safely in five of 12 plate appearances in the Wild Card Series win over Boston, going 4 for 11 with an RBI.

Stanton went 0 for 4 on Saturday and has just one hit this postseason.

While Toronto’s bullpen sparkled in Game 1, with four pitchers combining on 3 1/3 scoreless innings, New York’s relievers didn’t fare so well. After starter Luis Gil exited with two outs in the third, five Yankees pitchers allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Luke Weaver didn’t retire any of the three batters he faced, leaving after Andrés Giménez’s RBI single through a drawn-in infield. Weaver has not retired any of the six batters he has faced this postseason.

The one bright spot for New York's bullpen Saturday was right-hander Camilo Doval. He provided two scoreless innings on just 20 pitches.

“That was really efficient, really good,” Boone said, adding he hopes to have Doval available in Game 2 of the best-of-five series on Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees outfielders, from left, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger talk in the outfield as the Yankees make a pitching change during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) looks on during a break in play during the second inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver, center, waits to be removed during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to the dugout at the end of the top of the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

COTONOU, Benin (AP) — A coup that was announced in Benin on Sunday has been “foiled,” the interior minister said in a video on Facebook.

“In the early morning of Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilizing the state and its institutions,” Alassane Seidou said. “Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic.”

Earlier, a group of soldiers had appeared on Benin ’s state TV Sunday to announce the dissolution of the government in an apparent coup, the latest of many in West Africa.

The group, which called itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced the removal of the president and all state institutions. Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri was appointed president of the military committee, the soldiers said.

Following its independence from France in 1960, the West African nation witnessed multiple coups, especially in the decades following its independence. Since 1991, the country has been politically stable following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou.

There has been no official news about President Patrice Talon since gunshots were heard around the presidential residence. However, the signal to the state television and public radio which was cut off has now been restored.

The regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), condemned the short-lived coup in a statement.

“ECOWAS strongly condemns this unconstitutional move that represents a subversion of the will of the people of Benin. ... ECOWAS will support the Government and the people in all forms necessary to defend the Constitution and the territorial integrity of Benin,” the bloc said in a statement.

Talon has been in power since 2016 and was due to step down next April after the presidential election.

Talon’s party pick, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is the favorite to win the election. Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.

In January, two associates of Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison for an alleged 2024 coup plot.

Last month, the country’s legislature extended the presidential term of office from five to seven years, keeping the term limit at two.

The coup is the latest in a string of military takeovers that have rocked West Africa. Last month, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.

——

Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria.

FILE - Benin's President Patrice Talon attends a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)