The Yankees Were Just Swept At Home By The Reds And Continue To Spiral Out Of Control
After their June 12th win over the Royals to secure a road series victory, the Yankees were 49-21 and in complete control of the American League. Ever since they couldn't secure the sweep of that four game set, all of the shit has hit the fan. Every last drop. They have lost 14 of their last 19 games since that point and continue to free fall.
This team was rolling through the first two months, but man have the last three weeks felt like complete torture. There's not a single thing they're doing well. They couldn't even win a fucking national anthem stand off today.
The offense is non-existent. Once you get by Soto and Judge, it's smooth sailing from there, minus maybe Ben Rice and a little Austin Wells at this point. Even if Judge and/or Soto beat you, the pitching will probably give up enough runs to make their impact marginal. It's fucking depressing to watch for fans and probably exhilarating for haters across the globe.
The worst part of it all is that it feels like 2022 and 2023 all over again. What's different here besides Soto? In perfect Cashman fashion he didn't come close to finishing the job when it came to roster construction. The lineup is greatly flawed. The bullpen is a full blown disaster with dumpster diver finds all over the place. It was a three run game today and we saw Tim Hill and Jake Cousins try to keep it manageable. That three run lead quickly ballooned to six, which was all she wrote. Soto's two run bomb in the 7th meant nothing thanks to the pen. That's just how it's gone lately for this team.
Cashman is hellbent on just bringing in scrub after scrub to try and stop these offenses once starters exit. Both of those relievers I previously mentioned will likely be DFA'd before the All Star Break. Two new ones will come in who have been casted out by the worst teams in the league. He'll just keep doing this until someone sticks or the season is over. Matt Blake is an amazing pitching coach, but you're being too greedy by asking him to make this group competent.
The offense is a giant issue and will remain that way until external moves are made. Over the last two weeks the team ranks in the bottom half of the league in OPS and batting average. Today Anthony Volpe was mercifully removed as the lineup's leadoff hitter. In place of him was youngest Ben Rice, who did actually hit a bomb today. He's pretty much the only good thing that's come out of these recent weeks. His plate discipline and swing can help this team, but it's also fucking insane he's being deployed as the leadoff hitter this early in his career. That's how desperate they are.
Volpe seems like the ideal leadoff guy, but his numbers have fallen off a cliff. Great defender, but not a plus bat. Lately all you're getting from him are weak ground balls and lazy pop flys. There is zero power behind that swing, compared to last year where he racked up 20 homers. The issue last year was the swing and miss rate. The hope was a more level swing path would increase contact while preserving the power, but it just hasn't translated. His last homer was on May 16th. Yikes. I think everyone is hoping him sliding back down the order can ease the pressure and let him reset a bit, but the results lately have been ugly.
Giancarlo Stanton is a post-ASB option while Jasson Dominguez won't be heard from until late August at the earliest. Even if Ben Rice keeps showing value, you still have to improve the rest. Bats like Luis Rengifo (yes I know he just got hurt) and Ryan McMahon would help a ton, but that would involve Brian Cashman operating under a sense of urgency.
And to top it all off, you have this buffoon leading the group.
Can't wait for him to tell the media "it's right in front of us" and they're about to "turn a corner." Shoot me.
Six straight ties or losses in series. Three back of the O's in the loss column for first and just four up on Boston in the same department. That red hot Red Sox team which started this whole free-fall enters town tomorrow for a three game set. If that kind of series doesn't light a fire under you then nothing will. Boston embarrassed them up in Fenway. Fucking punch back and show me something one time. I beg of you, stop making me sad.
Having a blast! Love baseball so much. Happy 4th, I'm gonna go play "drink what's under the sink" and see if that gets me anywhere.
