Despite a disappointing slide in the standings, the New York Yankees remain close behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. The Orioles have experienced their own struggles, losing three straight games and four of their last six, giving the Yankees a chance to close the gap.
Aaron Judge’s Slump Impacts the Yankees’ Performance
The Yankees have lost three of their last seven games, failing to secure wins in closer contests. A significant factor in these losses is slugger Aaron Judge’s struggles at the plate over the first two weeks of July. Following an impressive performance in June with a .409 batting average and .514 on-base percentage, Judge has cooled significantly, hitting just .200/.282/.286 with only one home run and one RBI in July.
“Nobody likes losing, so nobody’s happy about it,” Yankees star Aaron Judge said. “But, we’re not feeling sorry for ourselves or sorry for anybody else because nobody else is. We’re going to play a first-place team right now, and we got to take these good at bats over to Baltimore.”
Crucial Series Ahead Against the Orioles
The Yankees have an upcoming three-game series against the Orioles, starting Friday night with Gerrit Cole on the mound. This series is critical; it could either deepen the Yankees’ deficit in the AL East or provide a much-needed boost. The Orioles are coming off a rough series, having been swept by the Chicago Cubs and outscored 21-2 in that series, including a 19-run loss to the Oakland Athletics in a previous game.
Urgent Need for Clutch Hitting
The Yankees’ offense is under scrutiny, not just for Judge’s slump but also for the lack of production from other veteran players and the bottom half of the order. For instance, in their last game against the Tampa Bay Rays, despite Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto starting strong with hits, the team failed to capitalize, quickly falling into a 2-0 deficit after Randy Arozarena’s home run.
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Pitching Not To Blame
Despite the offensive woes, the Yankees’ pitching has been relatively solid over the past week. The lack of run support has been the primary issue, preventing the team from turning close games into wins. The upcoming series against the Orioles represents a crucial opportunity for the Yankees to improve their standing before the All-Star break, emphasizing the need for more effective hitting and clutch performances.