About Yesterday Afternoon: The Yankees Fell to the Rays 6-4

About Yesterday Afternoon: The Yankees Fell to the Rays 6-4

By Tim Kabel

July 22, 2024

***

The Yankees have returned to their losing ways after their one-game winning streak to open the nominal second half of the season. They have lost two of three games to the Rays and are in danger of losing the series. All that stands between them and another lost series is Carlos Rodon. That doesn't look very promising.

Quick Stats – 

·       Aaron Boone was ejected for the fifth time this season. Why does he keep coming back?

·       The Rays hit 4 home runs in consecutive games for the second time this season.

·       Since starting the season 50-22, the Yankees have gone 9-20. That’s not a losing streak.  It is a collapse.

·       The Astros were written off by just about everybody earlier this season. They are now in first place in the American League West.

·       The Yankees were 2-10 with runners in scoring position yesterday and left nine men on base.

·       The Yankees failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in both the first and second innings.

·       Marcus Stroman has surrendered two or more home runs six times this season.

·       On July 21, 1988, the Yankees traded Jay Buhner to Seattle for Ken Phelps.  It still hurts.

The Big Story –

The Yankees are sinking fast. While it is true that they are in second place in the American League East and they are only two games behind the Orioles, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the Yankees are on a current run of 9-20. This is not a very good team right now. Gleyber Torres is batting .228 for the season with 8 home runs. Alex Verdugo is batting .228 for the season and since June 15th, he has been the worst player in baseball in batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. Trent Grisham, who is playing regularly now, is batting .180. DJ LeMahieu, who mercifully did not play yesterday but is still considered to be the regular third baseman is batting .177. It is impossible to win regularly with that lack of offense. Torres, Verdugo, and Grisham were a combined 0-11 yesterday.

Because of the lack of production from many of the veterans on this team, youngsters like Ben Rice and Austin Wells are now thrust into positions of prominence in the Yankees’ batting order. Ben Rice was batting leadoff for the past two days, Austin Wells has been batting cleanup. This is not a knock against those two players but at this stage of their careers, they shouldn't be in those spots. Unfortunately, they are the best options. The Yankees need to acquire quality players. 

The Yankees’ broadcasters seem to think that the return of Giancarlo Stanton will be a panacea for all the problems in the Yankees’ lineup. I find that hard to believe. Stanton was having a very good season, but he is a very streaky player, and it normally takes him quite a while to refine his swing after an injury. It is unclear if he will even go to the minor leagues for a rehab assignment, which he clearly needs to do.

The bottom line is that the Yankees need to obtain players immediately who can bolster the lineup. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto cannot do everything by themselves every day. If the Yankees acquire quality veteran hitters, that will relieve the pressure on Wells, Rice, and Anthony Volpe. There are eight days until the trading deadline. Hopefully, the Yankees will do something before the very end. They cannot afford to wait.

Player of the Game – 

Aaron Judge had two hits, including a three-run home run.

Notable Performance –

Juan Soto had three hits, an RBI, and scored a run.

Oswaldo Cabrera had two hits, a stolen base, and scored a run.

Better to Forget – 

Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and Gleyber Torres were hitless yet again. At least they are consistent.

My Take –  

In the old comic strip and movie series, Blondie, Dagwood Bumstead's boss was named Mr. Dithers. The dictionary definition of dither is to be indecisive. Aaron Boone is the modern-day Mr. Dithers.

On Saturday, Boone was asked about DJ LeMahieu’s struggles and whether he should continue to play. This was his response, “We got to keep running him out there,” Boone said. “He’s earned that. Where we are roster-wise, we have to give him the opportunity to unlock that. If we can do that, then obviously we know we’ve got a really good hitter on our hands. He’s going to continue to get opportunities here.”

Boone was asked why he thought LeMahieu was still a good hitter. Although LeMahieu did win a batting title, that was four years ago and he has been declining steadily ever since. This season, he is batting .177 with three extra base hits, all doubles. He has grounded into three times as many double plays. This was Boone’s explanation, “Because he’s still got that great swing,” Boone said, “It’s about just hoping that he can find that groove. I’m sure he’s fighting some things mentally having not gone through struggles like this when he has been healthy before. You just got to keep working with him and hoping he can unlock it here.”

Those comments were totally ridiculous. However, Aaron Boone is the manager of the Yankees. He made those statements. They were very strong statements. He made them on Saturday. Although very few people would agree with him, he was committed to playing DJ LeMahieu on a regular and consistent basis. In other words, every day. Well, on Sunday, Boone benched LeMahieu.

I want to be very clear. Playing Oswaldo Cabrera on Sunday over LeMahieu was the correct decision. However, after Boone went out of his way to make a huge speech extolling the virtues of LeMahieu and saying that he would play him every day, benching him the next day has a bad look. To the observer, it seems as if Boone is either indecisive or was overruled by someone else. Neither one is a good option. 

We have seen this before. In 2022, entering the playoffs, Boone was batting Aaron Judge in the leadoff spot. Then, he received criticism from Alex Rodríguez. Judge was immediately removed from the leadoff spot. At the same time, Isiah Kiner-Falefa was entrenched at shortstop despite almost everyone feeling that he needed to be removed. Suddenly in the playoffs, Boone flipped and benched IKF. Again, I don't disagree with the moves, I just question Boone’s waffling and dithering.

Another example of Boone’s dithering is the fact that Boone did not move Austin Wells into the cleanup spot until after it was suggested by Chris Kirschner of “The Athletic”.

Aaron Boone is not a good manager. He does not make good in-game decisions. He does not adjust well. He does not develop and nurture young players. He never seems to have a feel for the game. However, his indecisiveness is what makes the new Mr. Dithers a liability as the manager. The players need to have a manager who is decisive and consistent. Even if the decision may be wrong, he needs to make a decision and not immediately waffle into another position. That doesn't mean he can't change his mind but, in the words of Theodore Roosevelt, Boone seems to “have the backbone of a chocolate eclair.” 

Even if the Yankees do acquire players who are offensive upgrades, the concern is that Boone will waffle and dither between playing the new players and those with whom he has an allegiance. It is time for Mr. Dithers to go but since he won't, Cashman needs to bring in new players and remove Boone’s favorites as options.

Next Up – 

Today, the Yankees will play the final game of a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium. Carlos Rodon, (9-7, 4.63 ERA) will face the Rays’ Zack Littell, (3-6, 4.26 ERA).  Hopefully, the Yankees won't come up small against Littell.