Drew Rasmussens gem only magnified worrisome Yankees trend that needs fixing in Game 2

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla.

— Was it real, or just a Chad Tracy-assisted mirage?Were the 18 runs on 26 hits the Yankees exploded for in their wild-card series proof they could survive postseason games without Aaron Judge, or just the result of feasting on a Red Sox bullpen after Tracy pulled his starter early in both games? Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.The Yankees’ performance against Drew Rasmussen in Game 1 of the ALDS suggested the latter, though the Rays ace shoving against them is nothing new.

They must quickly prove it was Rasmussen’s hex rather than their bats disappearing against terrific starting pitching to win three of the next four games and keep their season alive.“It’s a tall order, but we’re built for it,” Ben Rice said after Saturday’s 1-0 loss in which the Yankees mustered just one hit and instantly saw it erased on Austin Wells’ baserunning blunder.The best news for the Yankees on Monday is that Freddy Peralta will be on the mound and not Rasmussen, who looms for a potential Game 4.But Peralta has been sharp in his own right after the Mets traded him to the Rays, pitching to a 2.26 ERA in his last nine starts of the regular season.While the Yankees will answer by sending their ace, Cam Schlittler, to the mound, they will need their bats to come alive for that to matter.

So on Sunday, an off-day with no official workout, some of them went to their spring training home at George M.Steinbrenner Field to hit off the Trajekt machine and get other work in to prepare for Peralta, who has faced the Yankees just twice in his career.“Some of our guys have experience against him, so hopefully that serves us well,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday on a video call.

“But we’ve got to go out and obviously put some pressure on them and hopefully support Cam in a good way.”That has proven more difficult against starting pitchers thi...