The New York Yankees are currently on a five-game losing streak after being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, but that is just the start of their issues.
With the bullpen deteriorating at an astronomical pace and the Yankees failing to hit home runs, going 27 innings before a consolation prize from DJ LeMahieu in the 9th inning in Sunday’s loss, the team has lost all sense of momentum.
After reaching their 70th win, the Yankees have failed to continue piling on, despite scoring nine runs in a 12–9 loss to St. Louis in the third game of the series.
Sunday was Frankie Montas’s first game wearing pinstripes, but he only lasted 3.0 innings, giving up five hits and six earned runs, tossing 64 pitches. Despite his lackluster performance, Montas is owed a mulligan after spending the last few days mourning a family member’s death.
Montas remains a catalyst for the Yankees’ success down the road, and while the team is currently on a tough losing steak, they can flip the script at any given moment. Both Aaron Judge and DJ LeMehieu remain red hot, combining for five hits and five RBIs in the loss. It was the bullpen that really set the team back, with Albert Abreu and Scott Effross allowing five earned runs over 2.1 innings.
Ever since star relief pitcher Michael King suffered a fractured right elbow, the Yankees have struggled to maintain their consistency. The starting rotation has been incredibly unreliable, which is why trading Jordan Montgomery seemed like an odd decision from general manager Brian Cashman. Montgomery was stellar against the Yankees on Saturday, blanking his former team over 5.0 innings, giving up two hits.
- Yankees’ switch-hitting phenom is throwing up to 135 feet after latest update
- Yankees are getting surprising offensive production from veteran catcher
- Yankees’ super-utility man is seeing his numbers plummet back down to Earth
The Yankees need to make some big changes:
At some point, manager Aaron Boone has to shift his strategy, especially with Josh Donaldson showcasing inept offensive production. In fact, Donaldson posted a .195 average with a 23% on base rate in July. He’s been a bit better to start August, but he still hosts a .222 average with a 30% on base rate this season.
Ideally, the Yankees will elevate shortstop Oswald Peraza after August 18, which is the date that minor-league players won’t accrue any service time after.
Peraza can immediately slide in at shortstop with DJ LeMahieu shifting to third base and Gleyber Torres sticking at second. Both Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have been inadequate this season, primarily on the offensive side.
However, things ultimately boil down to pitching, which has been the Yankees’ biggest issue over the past few weeks. Something needs to change, and while Cashman did his best to inject more talent into the bullpen and rotation, it clearly wasn’t enough to spark an immediate response. Luckily, the Yankees still have plenty of time to right the ship, but at the moment, a bit of water has come aboard.