Fresh off a 12-3 loss to the Mets, Aaron Boone interrupted a question during his postgame press conference on Wednesday.
“For weeks now, you and the players have been saying that this was just a poor stretch and you will eventually get out of it,” a reporter began.
“It’s still a poor stretch,” Boone interjected after the Mets swept the Subway Series for the first time since 2013.
The “stretch” in question has seen the Yankees go 15-25 since June 7. That’s 40 games, roughly a quarter of the season.
Only the abysmal White Sox, a 27-win team with no organizational direction, have been worse over that span.
With the Yankees playing so putridly for such a prolonged period, Boone was then asked, “At what point is it not a poor stretch?”
The follow-up resulted in a display of frustration that the Yankees’ play had yet to inspire at the postgame podium.
“I’m not defining it,” a fiery Boone shot back. “We gotta play better, OK? We have it right in front of us. We’re a really good team that has played sh–ty of late. We need to be better. I’m not going to define stretch, this or that. We gotta go win. And we’re right there. We’re watching other teams struggle around us. We know we’ve got to be better. We’re pissed off in there. We’ve got a lot of pride in there. We have a lot of expectations in there.
“So stretch, slump, recent — I don’t give a s–t. It’s we’ve got to play better the rest of the way, and it’s right there. I’ve said it’s right in front of us. It is. It’s right in front of us. For as bad as it’s been, we’re also in a great position. We’ve gotta go play baseball the way we’re capable of playing, and it’s on all of us, starting with me, in that room to make sure we’re coming out with the right level of energy and getting after it.”
Boone’s common “it’s right in front of us” refrain has drawn criticism from fans over the last few weeks (and years), but his passionate response was a first for this ongoing slide.
After getting pantsed by the Mets, it felt appropriate, but also expected.
Boone was somewhat right in saying the Yankees are a good team in a good position, as they had baseball’s best record prior to June 7.
They also lead the American League’s wild card race and entered Thursday’s off day just 1.5 games back of the Orioles. Fortunately for the pinstripers, their division foe is also struggling.
“We don’t even worry about the Orioles,” Juan Soto said. “We worry about what we have in here. Yeah, it’s fine that they are right there, that they haven’t gone too far. But definitely, we worry about what we have in here. We don’t worry about them.”
The Bombers are lucky to still be in striking distance, though, as they’ve actually played sub-.500 ball since May 24. They’re 25-27 since then, matching the middling Angels.
So no, this is not just a stretch, especially when the Yankees have endured a lengthy summer swoon in each of the last three seasons.
In the past, the Yankees have blamed injuries for their extended slumps. That was especially true last season, when the team failed to make the playoffs.
While Giancarlo Stanton is currently out — he could return to a scuffling offense soon — that’s not as valid an excuse for this year’s $300 million roster.
Asked why it’s taken the Yankees so long to snap out of it once again, Aaron Judge said “it’s tough to say.”
“It’s a variety of different things,” the captain continued. “But it honestly comes back down to that confidence level. You gotta go out there and you gotta be confident every single night and not worry about what happened the night before, what happened the series before, the outside noises going on. We got a mission. We gotta put your blinders on and go out there and play.”
Judge was then questioned about the Yankees’ confidence possibly being shaken. Once again, he said “it’s tough to say.”
“You can read body language sometimes,” he added, “and there’s some certain times where we’re hanging our head a little bit and you just need a little kick in the butt to get it going again.”
Boone said that he’s been happy with the Yankees’ energy, but perhaps his sizzling comments will provide the kick they require.
The team begins a road trip in Boston on Friday, and it will head to Philadelphia before the July 30 trade deadline. The Yankees are expected to make some upgrades, but they also have more holes than they can possibly fill in just a few days.
If they’re to make good on their goal of winning a World Series, they’ll need some incumbents to start performing better. They know this.
“Nobody has higher expectations than us in that frickin’ room,” Boone said. “And we understand that. We’re pissed off. We’ve got to play better. This has gone on long enough. It’s very frustrating to go through, but I also know we’re competing our asses off and we’ve just got to make sure we continue to walk out with the right level of edge and willingness to compete, because no one’s going to pull us out of this but us.
“Right now, we’re getting our teeth kicked in. We’ve got to change it.”
Originally Published:
News
Jennifer Garner wears ‘super woman’ T-shirt after reportedly trying to convince ex Ben Affleck to save his marriage to Jennifer Lopez
The “13 Going on 30” actress, 52, wore a gray graphic T-shirt with the words “super woman” displayed prominently across the front as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Saturday. She paired the top with white trousers, tan sandals…
Jennifer Garner Is Clued Into What Really ‘Went Wrong’ Before Ben & J-Lo’s Divorce
Ben “confided” in her as the divorce loomed. Getty Images. As reports continue to pour in about Bennifer’s split, eyes are turning to Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck‘s ex-wife and mother of his three children. Despite their own split nearly a decade ago,…
(VIDEO) Diddy BLASTS Ben Affleck After He Releases Footage of House Raid With JLo
The Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Controversy: Is a Compromising Video the Reason Behind Their Divorce? In a series of shocking revelations, Suge Knight has put Jennifer Lopez (JLo) in the spotlight by suggesting that the reason behind her impending…
BREAKING: Jennifer Lopez Breaks Silence: First Statement After Ben Affleck’s Unexpected Move!(VIDEO)
Jennifer Lopez is opening up about the recent turmoil in her marriage to Ben Affleck following his surprising $20 million real estate purchase. The couple, whose relationship has faced significant challenges in recent months, is now at the center of…
Ben Affleck Admits He Divorced J Lo Because She Was In Diddy’s Freak Offs (VIDEO)
In a surprising revelation, Ben Affleck has reportedly admitted that his decision to divorce Jennifer Lopez was influenced by her connections to Sean “Diddy” Combs and the infamous parties associated with him. This disclosure has reignited discussions about the shadowy…
Jennifer Lopez Runs After Prosecutors Name Her | Ben Affleck DROPS Her (VIDEO)
Recent revelations have resurfaced longstanding rumors about Jennifer Lopez’s deep ties to Sean “Diddy” Combs, suggesting their connection went far beyond a fleeting romance. Once considered a glamorous chapter from the late ’90s, new details paint a picture of a…
End of content
No more pages to load