Mike "Upstate" Falvo Wyatt Thomas interview on Yankees' Rays loss

Mike "Upstate" Falvo Wyatt Thomas interview centered on the New York Yankees' playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, with Falvo calling for a change from Aaron Boone and arguing that Aaron Judge should stay in the outfield. Falvo also told Thomas why he would build around Ben Rice, agreed with the fan interference call on Anthony Volpe's hit and made his World Series pick.

What did Mike "Upstate" Falvo say about the New York Yankees' playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Rays?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo saw the Yankees' series against the Tampa Bay Rays as a 50-50 proposition before it began, but Aaron Judge's absence made him much less optimistic. After the loss, Falvo's assessment was straightforward: the Rays played better than New York, and the Yankees could not score enough to support their pitching.

From the Boston Red Sox to the Tampa Bay Rays

Falvo told Wyatt Thomas he was not overly concerned about the Yankees' matchup with the Boston Red Sox. Tampa Bay was different. He said the Rays had long troubled New York, even when he considered them a weaker American League East team, and had since become a team to beat in the division.

He entered the playoffs with cautious optimism. Hearing that Judge would not be on the wild-card roster worried him; learning Judge would also miss the Tampa Bay series lowered his expectations further. Falvo thought the Yankees had reliable playoff pitching but lacked the offense to back it up, with or without Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Thomas raised the defensive mistakes that had hurt New York, but Falvo would not put the result down to one play. He said the Rays outplayed and outcoached the Yankees across the series. Falvo summed up his view this way:

End of the day Tampa was simply the better team and we got outplayed.

What did Mike "Upstate" Falvo say about Aaron Boone and Yankees defense?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo believes a fix for the Yankees' defensive problems should start with manager Aaron Boone, then move through the roster. He argued that New York must identify its fielding weaknesses rather than count on strong pitching to overcome mistakes, while also finding a way to produce more runs.

Falvo pointed to what he sees as repeated early playoff exits under Boone. He contrasted the current club with the Yankees he grew up watching under George Steinbrenner, while making clear that Hal Steinbrenner now leads the organization. Falvo said he is unhappy with Hal Steinbrenner's leadership and how the team is being handled.

His complaint went beyond the bench. Falvo said major leaguers were making errors he considered unacceptable at that level. To him, dependable pitching was a strength in this postseason, but poor fielding and an unreliable offense left the Yankees unable to make the most of it.

Why does Mike "Upstate" Falvo want the Yankees to build around Ben Rice?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo wants the Yankees to keep Ben Rice and make him a central part of their next roster, alongside established captain Aaron Judge. Falvo said other teams had asked for Rice in trade discussions and argued that New York should treat his inclusion as a reason to end a proposed deal.

Ben Rice in trade discussions

According to Falvo, teams sought Rice around the trade deadline. He said general manager Brian Cashman should refuse any deal that required giving him up. Falvo viewed Rice as a player to build around rather than a piece to move while addressing other needs.

George Lombard and the next Yankees roster

Falvo also named George Lombard as someone the Yankees could develop alongside Rice. He acknowledged that Lombard had difficulties later in the season but saw spring training as an opportunity to address them. His goal was a team that could score while closing the defensive gaps that had frustrated him during the playoffs.

What did Mike "Upstate" Falvo say about Aaron Judge's injuries and designated hitter role?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo does not want Aaron Judge moved permanently to designated hitter. He believes Judge's arm remains valuable in the outfield and expects Brian Cashman to look for a separate, established hitter for the DH role. Falvo instead wants the Yankees to examine why Judge has spent time sidelined.

Thomas asked whether protecting Judge's bat might justify a move to DH, particularly as the Yankees considered how to use Rice. Falvo disagreed with taking Judge out of the outfield. He predicted Cashman might pursue a recognizable hitter who could still produce, while stressing that this was his expectation, not a completed move.

Falvo raised questions about Judge's strength and conditioning, including whether his training might need to change. He also recalled Judge's toe injury after a catch and collision with a wall in Los Angeles. Falvo offered no definitive explanation for Judge's absences; he said the club needed to investigate them. He made a similar point about Stanton's availability.

What did Mike "Upstate" Falvo say about Anthony Volpe's fan interference call?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo agreed with the decision not to award Anthony Volpe a home run on the disputed play in the Yankees' closeout game against Tampa Bay. After watching several angles, he thought the fan reached over the wall and that the ball would likely have stayed in play.

The reviewed hit at Yankee Stadium

Falvo thought the ball might have struck near the top of the wall and returned to the field. He considered a double the appropriate outcome and said the umpires took time to discuss the play and review video rather than making a snap judgment.

He understood why an excited fan would reach for a ball but thought the interruption hurt the Yankees. In Falvo's view, the review drained momentum and took some of the energy out of Yankee Stadium. He did not blame the call for the entire series loss.

The roof at Tropicana Field

After discussing the game, Falvo and Thomas turned to unusual plays at Tropicana Field. Falvo laughed at a comparison between a live ball bouncing off the roof and the kind of play associated with the Savannah Bananas. He said he had never visited the ballpark himself, though people who had been there had given him unfavorable accounts of it.

Who did Mike "Upstate" Falvo pick for the World Series?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo picked the Los Angeles Dodgers to beat Tampa Bay in the World Series. His preferred matchup was different: he wanted the Rays to face the Milwaukee Brewers and said a Brewers title would make an especially satisfying story because of his admiration for Bob Uecker.

Thomas asked for a prediction while discussing the remaining teams, including the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Dodgers and Brewers. Falvo separated the matchup he hoped to see from the one he expected. He favored Tampa Bay and Los Angeles to reach the World Series, with the Dodgers winning it.

The Brewers appealed to him for a personal reason. Falvo called himself a huge Uecker fan and thought a championship for Milwaukee would be a fitting send-off for him. That was Falvo's wish, not his forecast.

Who is Mike "Upstate" Falvo?

Mike "Upstate" Falvo is the public address announcer for the Indianapolis Clowns of Banana Ball. His conversations with Wyatt Thomas on MILLIONS range beyond that role; in this interview, he spoke primarily as a New York Yankees fan weighing the team's playoff loss and what should come next.