The New York Yankees wasted a series win against the Royals by immediately getting swept by Boston again.
It’s getting exhausting following the New York Yankees.
Their season has become a tale of two teams. If they’re playing a team not from the AL East, they’re fine. Against division rivals, they’re sub-.500.
Cut to today, and it’s the same story we’ve had all season. The New York Yankees are barely above .500 and seemingly incapable against teams that dare challenge them. Remember, one of the wins against KC was a walk-off, so even the Royals gave New York trouble.
All this to say this week’s State of the Yankees will be short, not-so-sweet, and maybe encourage fans to unplug yet again.
What’s the problem?
The offense has been the problem all year, but we can’t even use this alleged new baseball as an excuse anymore. All other teams in the AL East, minus the tanking Baltimore Orioles, have no issues at the plate.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having an MVP season and making the Toronto Blue Jays a fun, fun team to watch. Alex Cora’s presence alone has the Boston Red Sox lively again, so lively that they swept the New York Yankees for the second time in less than a month over the weekend.
In fact, it wasn’t just a sweep, but a massacre. The Yankees were outscored 18-7 and managed just three extra-base hits all series. THREE. Even worse, usual ace Gerrit Cole clearly hasn’t figured out how to pitch without a grip enhancer and is 2-2 with a 4.64 ERA this month.
Others might call this awful; bad; unacceptable; a simple cold streak that could have stricken any baseball team.
I’ve got another word for it: PATHETIC.
No more Mr. Nice Writer
That’s right, folks. This is a tough love column. Forget Mr. Van Driessen. This week, the New York Yankees get Mr. Buzzcut.
There’s no other way to say this. These Yankees pick and choose when to play hard. The fact that they’re 23-13 against non-AL East teams says it all. The pressure isn’t as high, so focus on the opponent and let the division race sort itself out.
Guess what? Until MLB decides to evolve out of the Stone Age, heavy interdivisional play is going to be a thing. That means games against division rivals actually matter. What an idea, right?? It’d be nice if the New York Yankees actually got this message sometime this season, wouldn’t it?
Looking ahead
Thankfully, for the Yankees, there are no divisional games this week. Today marks the start of a four-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and perennial MVP Mike Trout is out with an injury. Los Angeles is also fourth in the AL West, so the Yankees can and should pounce.
Then, for the weekend, the New York Mets visit the Bronx. Even better for the Yankees is Jacob deGrom isn’t currently slated to pitch in the series.
But how this week goes depends on the New York Yankees. They’re pretty down and demoralized after this sweep, with Cole going so far as to say the team got “punched in the face.”
Oh, and not to mention Zack Britton, who just came back from elbow trouble, is headed back to the IL with a pulled hamstring. Furthermore, Brian Cashman has said Corey Kluber now won’t be back until August or September.
Yankees, there’s no other way to say this. Get better this week. Plain and simple.
Otherwise, this writer may go against his own advice and do what was previously unthinkable: unplug the New York Yankees.
