Is It Time to Start Worrying About the Yankees Record Against Their Division?
Throughout their first 68 games of the season, most aspects have gone swimmingly for the New York Yankees. They beat the teams they should, their pitching and batting lineup have improved since last season, and players have stepped up when injuries occur. Besides struggling in their series against the Dodgers, they have exceeded expectations this season. The one issue, however, is their record against their in-division rivals. Another dropped game against the Boston Red Sox last night proved that this may be the one issue that keeps them from getting back into the World Series.
With last night’s loss, the Yankees' record against teams in the AL East dropped to 8-9. Their division lead, which was once over seven games, has now shrunk to 4.5. While a just under .500 record against their division could be much worse, the AL East has significantly weakened after last season. Losing three games in a row to an under .500 Red Sox team and losing a series earlier this season to the Baltimore Orioles provides room for concern, as Baltimore has the third-worst record in the AL.
Just last night in Boston, the Yankees were dominated by Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet, and until Aaron Judge’s ninth-inning home run, they were shut out. After some controversial calls in extra innings, the team lost a game that they had the opportunity to win. Last week, New York was limited to just three runs off of Hunter Dobbins, who made headlines before the game for his statements about the Yankees. While the team should be taking advantage of the weaknesses in their division, they’re seemingly falling flat during these opportunities.
With two more games this weekend against the Red Sox and an upcoming series with the Orioles, the Yankees need to play with urgency. Most of their losses this season, especially the ones against the Red Sox, could’ve easily been won. Cutting down on mistakes, sharpening pitches, and avoiding the all-or-nothing home run swing could end up being the difference between winning the division and having to play in the Wild Card game. These next few weeks are the test to see if the Yankees can stand up to the top competition of their division rivals.
