Sal's Take On The Mets Series

By Sal Maiorana

July 25, 2024

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Sal Maiorana, a friend of the site, shares some of his thoughts on the Yankees.

For Sal's complete analysis on the New York Yankees, you can subscribe to Sal Maiorana's free Pinstripe People Newsletter at https://salmaiorana.beehiiv.com/subscribe.

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Mets Embarrass Yankees By Completing Four-Game Subway Series Sweep

It was pretty simple: Gerrit Cole was terrible, the bullpen was terrible, the offense was terrible

What a debacle. A complete embarrassment. A whupping of the highest order.

What more do you want me to say here? I mean if you’re looking for me to get deep into the weeds to analyze what happened, is that really necessary? Look at the score, it’s really all you need to know. For those of you who watched, I certainly hope you now realize that all my whining and screaming and criticizing of the Yankees the last six weeks is justified.

The New York Yankees, once the proudest franchise in Major League Baseball, are a train wreck. For more than a month and a half now, they have been the worst team in MLB, and that’s not hyperbole. Since June 15, the night after they beat the Red Sox to get to 50-22 on the season, the Yankees have lost 22 of their last 32 games. Only the White Sox have been worse with 24 losses in their last 32 games.

If you’re saying wait, Sal, that means they haven’t been the worst team in MLB. Folks, if we’re comparing the Yankees to the tragedy that is taking place on the South Side of Chicago, then yes, the $300 million Yankees are worse. Way worse.

You want more? Since June 15, the Yankees have allowed 181 runs. The only team that has allowed more in that span is the Rockies at 205.

And I do not care about the fact that the Orioles continue to implode as they lost another game to the Marlins. That’s eight losses in their last 11 as they simply refuse to swim away from the wreckage of the Titanic that is the Yankees. Incredibly, the Yankees are still only 1.5 games out, but I remain convinced that Baltimore will get it figured out. Do we honestly believe the Yankees will? If you really think so, God bless you for your faith, but I have to say, you’re nuts.

The Yankees were so abysmal Wednesday, even their head cheerleader, Aaron Boone, was beyond angry:

It was good to watch Boone get demonstrative, to slam his hand on the table, to swear and not spew out his typical nonsensical and tone deaf responses. He was on a roll, but then came that part about “competing our a*** off” and I’m sorry, that’s complete baloney. Watch the games. Does this look like a team that is competing hard?

➤ Gerrit Cole needed to be an ace Wednesday. He needed to take the mound at Yankee Stadium and dominate the Mets and make sure the Yankees didn’t suffer their first Subway Series sweep since 2013. Instead, he allowed No. 9 hitter Tyrone Taylor to go 3-for-3 against him with a home run and two RBI. It was a horrendous performance by Cole, his second horrendous performance against the Mets this season. He pitched 9.2 innings against them and was tagged for seven home runs, four at Citi Field on June 25 and three last night. His season ERA is now 5.40.

➤ Gleyber Torres gave Cole an early 1-0 lead as Boone moved him into the leadoff spot and he homered off Sean Manaea to open the game. But then Cole gave up the Taylor home run in the third, an inexcusable mistake to a .233 hitter who had just five homers coming in.

➤ Juan Soto got the lead right back with a long solo homer, but then Cole served up a two-run shot to Pete Alonso in the fourth and a two-run blast to Francisco Lindor in the fifth. He left with the Yankees down 6-2 after his brainless pitch clock violation on a 3-2 pitch allowed Francisco Alvarez to walk and Taylor followed with an RBI single. Cole flipped his glove in the air in frustration, then walked dejectedly to the dugout listening to some boos before storming down into the clubhouse. “Unfortunately, I just let it get out of hand too much and didn’t give us a good chance to win the game,” Cole said. “We’re definitely sitting in it right now, and not happy about it.”

➤ And then the inept bullpen took turns throwing batting practice during a six-run Mets explosion in the eighth, during which Mark Vientos hit a solo homer off Tim Hill and Lindor hit a three-run bomb off Caleb Ferguson whose ERA is now 5.74.

➤ Across the four games, the Mets outscored the Yankees 36-14 and out-hit them 46-24. In the four games, the Yankees were 4-for-36 with runners in scoring position.

➤ “It comes down to what we’re doing on the field, and it’s not great right now,’’ said Judge, who had another key strikeout in a big spot early, and also made a terrible play in the field that turned what should have been an easy out into a double. “There’s certain times we’re hanging our head a little bit. And you just need a little kick in the butt. We’ve got the guys in this room to flip the switch and get us back to where we need to be. Don’t overthink it, don’t panic. But it comes down to we’ve got to do our job and we’re not doing it right now.’’