The vibes were great after the Yankees‘ 6-1 victory in the first game of a four-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays coming out of the All-Star break. However, they have lost their last two games, including a 6–4 defeat on Sunday afternoon.
The Yankees are Falling Apart at the Seams
The Yankees are now plummeting even further down the American League East standings. If the trend continues, the Rays may catch up with the Yankees by the end of the season. Despite this, manager Aaron Boone continues to offer cliché comments after each game, suggesting the Yankees are putting together good at-bats but simply failing to drive in runs.
“Today was actually a ton of really good at-bats offensively. … We’ve got to find a way. We know we’re better than this,” said Boone.
In some respects, Boone is right. The Yankees stranded nine players on base in the defeat, hitting just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
A Glimmer of Hope
Their only hope was Aaron Judge, who smashed a three-run homer in the 7th inning to draw them close, but then the Yankees gave up a solo shot in the 9th—the damage was already done, and the Bombers can’t constantly rely on miracles.
The Yankees produced nine hits and six walks, enough to push them over the hump and secure this win, but their starting pitching continues to be volatile, and the bullpen has been spotty. Marcus Stroman tossed 5.1 innings, giving up two earned runs via two homers and recording five strikeouts. He performed well enough for the Yankees to stay in the game, but Jake Cousins gave up two earned runs, and Luke Weaver allowed another, putting the contest out of reach.
Persistent Inconsistencies
Once again, the Yankees can’t piece together a complete game with decent pitching and productive offense. General manager Brian Cashman certainly has a lot of work to do at the trade deadline in a few days, starting with adding substantial reinforcements to the batting order and several bullpen pieces.
In a perfect world, the Yankees would acquire a lead-off bat for the infield, a starting pitcher, and at least two bullpen arms. That’s easier said than done, but the team does have a number of reinforcements on the way, so the focal point should be finding a quality infielder who will help boost the production of Soto and Aaron Judge.
Weak Links
The bottom half of the order has been a complete liability, with Gleyber Torres and Alex Verdugo failing to get on base during Sunday’s game. In fact, Torres botched a ball that led to a base hit, once again proving his inefficiency as a defender.
- Yankees have close to a dozen competitors for Juan Soto’s signature
- Yankees have a clear position to upgrade in the offseason
- Previewing the Yankees’ 2025 free agent class and contract options
The team is in complete disarray, but benching DJ LeMahieu was a good start since Oswaldo Cabrera provided a run and two hits on the afternoon. The formula is cracking, and the Yankees need to plug the gaps quickly before they find themselves in a hole they can’t climb out of.