If there’s anything synonymous with the Yankees going on a losing streak, it is manager Aaron Boone repeating the same mantra until they eventually climb out of the abyss.
The Yankees sit 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East, with Boone relentlessly using his cliché line:
“It’s right in front of us.”
Following Wednesday’s 12-3 blowout loss to the New York Mets, Boone reiterated his usual remarks, displaying some frustration but ultimately offering the same rhetoric without any evident changes on the field.
“We gotta play better, okay? We have it right in front of us. We’re a really good team that has played poorly of late. We need to be better.”
The responsibility to turn things around lies with the players, many of whom are underperforming significantly.
Gleyber Torres, for instance, is showing some improvement but remains below average with a .232/.308/.363 slash line and a 94 wRC+. Alex Verdugo’s performance has been even more disappointing, with his wRC+ dropping to 86, and career lows in batting average (.228) and on-base percentage (.286).
Veteran stars like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto cannot single-handedly carry the team, especially when pitchers like Gerrit Cole are struggling, as seen in his recent game against the Mets where he allowed six earned runs.
The bullpen has also been inconsistent, with pitchers like Caleb Ferguson posting a 5.46 ERA and struggling to deliver reliable performances.
General Manager Brian Cashman faces a critical challenge in addressing these issues. Acquiring better hitters and strengthening the bullpen are essential steps, with a player like Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins being a potential target to bolster their relief options. However, even multiple strong moves might not suffice to make the Yankees a championship contender given the overall roster’s subpar performance and the regression of key players.
The Yankees need a collective improvement, and while there is still time left in the season, their performance so far has not inspired confidence in a potential turnaround.
