Abysmal. That’s the first word that comes to mind when describing the New York Yankees this season. The Bronx Bombers find themselves rock bottom in the AL East, trailing the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays by nine games and two games behind in the wild-card race.
The Yankees hold the last place in the AL East after 96 games, a position they haven't been in since 1990.
Monday’s 4-3 loss against the Los Angeles Angels exposed some questionable tactics, like not walking Shohei Ohtani in the bottom of the seventh while the Yankees led 3-1. Ohtani's game-tying homer made matters worse and raised eyebrows over Aaron Boone’s game management.
The Yankees have dropped eight of their last 10 games, a run that has left fans and analysts baffled. MLB broadcaster Dani Wexelman shared her brutally honest take on the Yankees’ current downward spiral after their loss to the Angels on MLB Network Radio:
“I'm not saying you've got to win every game, but you have to beat a fourth-place team in the Angels. You have to beat them. You have to take advantage of the opportunities. One-for-nine with runners in scoring position, that's how a last-place team acts.
"They're acting like a last-place team. They're not acting like a team who should be in the postseason, who is going to get to the postseason. That, for me, is, like, the bare minimum.”
The Yankees’ offensive woes show no signs of abating in Aaron Judge’s prolonged absence. After Tuesday’s 5-1 loss, New York dropped to 15-21 since the AL MVP got hurt early last month, scoring two runs or fewer for the 14th time.
Something has to change for the New York Yankees
Earlier this month, the New York Yankees parted ways with hitting coach Dillon Lawson and brought in Sean Casey to replace him. This decision fueled speculations of potential further changes within the organization. However, despite the shake-up, there haven't been any new moves since.
Losing Aaron Judge to injury has unquestionably dealt a significant blow to the Yankees. Additionally, veterans like Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton have struggled to meet expectations. Nevertheless, it's essential to recognize that the team's current position goes beyond individual player underperformance.
If the situation doesn’t change, and if the New York Yankees don’t make the postseason, it is difficult to imagine Aaron Boone remaining in the clubhouse.