The New York Yankees' dreadful season continued with a recent 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox, which marked their longest losing streak for almost thirty years. For those tracking MLB betting odds, the Yankees' recent performance hasn't inspired much confidence. Their division rivals finished off the three-game sweep despite blowing three leads, extending New York's losing streak to eight games.
"They've kicked our ass," manager Aaron Boone said after the Red Sox captured their eighth win in nine games against the Yankees this season. "We've played a handful of competitive games that have come down to the end. We just haven't been good enough."
The Yankees have equaled their longest losing streak since 1995 and fell to 60-64. Boston has outscored New York, 54-24, and will host the reeling Bronx Bombers in a four-game set from Sept. 11-14 at Fenway Park.
Unlike previous years, the Yankees' vaunted offense has been missing in action this season. New York has gone 50 innings without leading opposing teams and ranks 29 out of 30 MLB teams with a .230 batting average. The last-place Yankees are on pace to finish in the cellar for the first time in over two decades.
"I don't recall experiencing anything like this before in my career," said Cole, who had one of his worst outings of the year on Saturday. "How you handle adversity and get through it is ultimately how you get judged."
The ace surrendered a season-high six earned runs on a pair of long balls in just four innings on the hill. New York entered the game with a 9-2 record with Cole on the mound following a loss.
A Friday night team meeting orchestrated by Boone failed to help New York get back on the winning track.
"I talked with the team last night," Boone said. "But try and keep consistent in what we do and how we prepare, and look forward to
While the 50-year-old skipper admitted the losing streak is psychologically affecting the players, he feels the team morale is still good.
"I mean, definitely wearing it. Not fun going through this, right? But I feel like we're ok. And I do feel like the turnaround is coming," said Boone, adding his messaging was aimed more at his players' headspace than tactics.
"Oh, just acknowledging what we're going through and making sure that we're controlling how we come in each and every day and how we prepare," he said. "And also remembering to make sure
New York has not been this awful so late in the season in more than a quarter-century. The Yankees have dropped eight consecutive series and have posted a 6-15 card since star slugger Aaron Judge returned from the Injured List in late July. The 27-time World Series champion is 98-104 since starting the 2022 season with 61 wins in 84 games.
"Everybody in the AL East is tough this year, and they just got the better of us this year," Isiah Kiner-Falefa said. "They're swinging the bats well, and they have a good game plan pitching. They're just better than us right now."
Free-agent left-hander Carlos Rodon has been a massive disappointment since inking a $162 million deal last offseason. The two-time All-Star maiden campaign in the Bronx was delayed over three months due to back stiffness and a left forearm strain.
The 30-year-old is just 1-4 with an ugly 7.33 ERA with 25 strikeouts, and 18 walks over 27 innings before returning to the IL with a left hamstring strain.
"The only thing (I can control) is executing a pitch which — they've been in my control, and I haven't really done that, either," Rodon said.
The Yankees have also promoted a pair of top prospects in hopes of snapping their losing skid. Everson Pereira and infielder Oswald Peraza will arrive from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals.
Pereira, 22, is the team's third-ranked prospect who hit .291 with 10 home runs in 46 games at Double-A. The talented Venezuelan batted .312 with eight long balls in 35 games at Triple-A before getting the call to the big leagues.
Peraza batted .173 in 19 games with New York this season—the 23-year-old hit .268 with 14 homers in 63 games at the Triple-A level.
While the Yankees will need a miracle to get back into the playoff picture, Rodon and Boone have not lost hope that this year's squad will emulate the 1995 team that won 19 of its final 23 games to steal a wild card spot.
"Clearly, it's still possible," Rodon said. "I don't know how many games it'll take. We can all speculate as much as we want, but we won't know until probably Oct. 1 if we're in or not."
Boone was also optimistic about a late-season rally if his players had the right frame of mind.
"We have 40 games left, and there's not just occasional, there's a lot of examples — a lot of recent examples even — of teams turning it around," Boone said. "Now, I also recognize we haven't put ourselves in any kind of position or certainly given anyone thought like why we would get back into it. But neither had those teams when they made their runs or when they got going.
"So the reality is we still have a chance, and we've got to kind of prepare and compete every day with a mind that today's the day we turn it around. But it's not even about down the road: It's today. Come and put our best foot forward and expect today's the day we get something going."
