Q. What's the confidence level in Carlos Rodón going into tomorrow's game?
CODY BELLINGER: Very confident. Just who he is as a competitor, just the type of year that he's had. Every time he's on the mound, full confidence in him. I just love who he is as a competitor.
Q. Ask you as well what are the challenges that Shane Bieber presents?
CODY BELLINGER: I feel like I haven't faced him in quite some time, but veteran pitcher. From what I remember, the stuff is obviously very good. It's definitely going to be a challenge, right? He's one of the better pitchers in the game.
We've just got to focus on ourselves and do what we can to prepare and put together our best at-bats.
Q. How hard is it to put the 0-2 deficit out of your mind when you go up there and concentrate on just winning the game, winning the at-bat? Is that something that's become any easier as you've become more of a veteran?
CODY BELLINGER: I think definitely not an ideal situation, right? Obviously no one really wants to be down 0-2. At the end of the day, tomorrow is a brand-new day. Whether we're up 2-0 or tied 1-1, you've got to go in and win that day.
You've got to take it one day at a time, as cliche as that sounds, but that's what we're going to have to do and come out tomorrow and play our best brand of baseball.
Q. Is it easier as a veteran to focus on just the day than it might have been when you were a younger player?
CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, I think for myself we have a lot of guys on this team that have a lot of experience. Been down 0-2 before earlier in my career. Baseball's such a crazy game where you've just got to take it day by day where you can't let the past affect you. Even during the regular season, same thing. 0 for 4, you've got to wake up and do it again the next day.
It's always a continuous battle. You've just got to continue to wake up and give it your best shot.
Q. Judge said yesterday, he referenced the fact that the Yankees were down 0-2 to Cleveland in '17. Has he talked to you guys about that, or has that come up at all? Not too many teams in this spot have come back, but that's one of them. To have him here, does that provide any experience that you guys can draw from?
CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, absolutely. That was, I think -- I don't know if some guys in this locker room were here during that series or it was just --
Q. A couple. I'm not sure who besides Judge.
CODY BELLINGER: I definitely knew about it. It's a tough task. Toronto is obviously a very good baseball team. I think for myself, the confidence in the locker room that we have over here, it's a strong bond. We've had such a fun time playing together, so we don't want this ride to end.
Q. How are you feeling?
CODY BELLINGER: Me? I feel good. Yeah, I'm feeling good.
Q. The treatment is having an effect?
CODY BELLINGER: Yeah, yeah, yeah, feeling good. I think the worst day was the day it happened against Boston. Every day it's been getting better.
Q. Across the lineup, there have been a lot of strikeouts this postseason. Is that as simple as running into good arms? Is it more of a mindset at the plate? How do you sort of work through that to kind of at least get contact, do you think, as a lineup?
CODY BELLINGER: I think yesterday he got us, right? Tip of the cap. That was some really good stuff that we saw. I think we had an opportunity in Game 1. We've just got to keep giving ourselves an opportunity. There's a bunch of different ways to win a baseball game.
I think that's the beautiful thing about this game is there's so many different ways to win. Obviously tomorrow we're going to have to come out and try and win a baseball game.
Q. When most of the lineup is just going through a rough patch of strikeouts, I guess, is that contagious in a way? Is there a way that sort of snowballs throughout the rest of the order? Is there anything to stop the strikeouts in a lineup being contagious in a way?
CODY BELLINGER: I think for us we do a good job of communicating, hey, what are you seeing in the box? The righties are chatting. The lefties are chatting. I think yesterday was just one of those days we didn't have an answer. It wasn't a lack of game planning. It wasn't a lack of communication. Just sometimes you get beat.
Off day today, treatment, do whatever you have to do, and then tomorrow is a brand-new day. So we've just got to come out tomorrow and try and win.
Q. You're used to for six months every day have a game. When you have a night off like tonight before a big game, what do you do to relax and keep your mind from getting just too focused on it too early?
CODY BELLINGER: I think that is a little different thing about the postseason, right, the off days in between. Recover, rest mentally and physically. Ultimately you just have those little extra hours to prepare, and that goes to both sides. It makes it a little easier with travel.
Come in today, get some treatment, get the body moving just so you can come out tomorrow and feel good and fresh.
Q. When you're at home tomorrow, do you think, think, think about tomorrow's game or do you try to put it out of your mind?
CODY BELLINGER: I think that's the beautiful thing with kids. They get your mind off it. It's chaos in a good way at home, and I enjoy being around them, and it just gets your mind off the game for a little bit.
Q. Are they aware of who's up, who's down?
CODY BELLINGER: They are not aware. They were at the game yesterday, and they said that it was very loud. That's about all they were aware of.
Q. You've all said over and over that confidence in this group has never wavered. What is it specifically about this team, this group of guys that gives you that confidence that this series is still winnable even being in a tough spot?
CODY BELLINGER: I think it's the environment we have in this locker room. We battle adversity all year, as does every team through 162 games, but the confidence in each other never wavered. We have a great group of guys in there that all believe in each other.
We've just got to go out tomorrow and play our game, and good things can happen.
Q. Why do you think you played them better at home this season, and does that give you guys any confidence going into tomorrow?
CODY BELLINGER: I think just being at home gives us a little bit of confidence. Obviously they got us in those two games there in Toronto. But to be back at Yankee Stadium in front of the home crowd, it's definitely exciting. That was my first postseason experience in the Wild Card, and it was just a really fun environment. So looking forward to it tomorrow.
Q. Both those games were blowouts. Does it make it any easier or tougher to just flush those and move on?
CODY BELLINGER: You can take it both ways. Close walk-offs are bone crushing, and blowouts are not a good feeling either, you know what I mean? No loss is a good loss, but it's just how you take it, I guess.
Q. That sixth inning plate appearance, you had the walk in Game 1. Can you describe the battle there with Kevin Gausman? He's not budging, he's not trying to give you anything over the plate. You're obviously trying to look to do some damage but staying within your approach. Can you describe sort of the battle there in your mindset of staying disciplined while still trying to hunt for damage?
CODY BELLINGER: Absolutely. I think for me, knowing I had Benny behind me in that situation, just really wanted to get the job done. I wanted to get on base. Looking for my pitch to hit. Ultimately I was seeing it well in that at-bat, and I just wanted to pass the baton. That was my thought process there. There were a few guys warming up in the on deck circle, so I didn't know exactly what was going to be happening. So just preparing for all different types of situations.
Q. From a mindset perspective, that's obviously a spot where the game's hanging in the balance and it can change. How does that play into your approach? Do you flush that from your approach to avoid ending up in a chase situation kind of thing?
CODY BELLINGER: I think trying to calm the nerves and understanding the task at hand. It's you versus him no matter the situation. I was just trying to stay within myself, not get too big or too low in that situation, kind of stay neutral. I was just trying to win the battle.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports