Oh Where, Oh Where Did the Yankees Go?
It is the season of important games. It's the Yankees vs the Red Sox, the eternal A.L. rivals of over 100 years. This is when crisp, championship baseball is supposed to be played. Yet, like Yankee Stadium, which is rather a facsimile of the original, the team is proving to be as unconnected to its past glory. In fact, the Yankees have found it difficult to duplicate the level of play that they displayed to start the season. Where did those Yankees go? The answer is the same as to why they disappear when faced with quality teams. This four-game set with Boston will define where they go.
The Yankees went from leading the division by double digits to now settling for the Wild Card conversation. How did they get here? The formula the Yankees decided on to achieve success in 2025 post Juan Soto was pitching and defense. They acquired an ace in Max Fried, who pitched at an all-star level. Carlos Rodon matched him to give New York a one-two punch. Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger anchored the infield and outfield, respectively. At the plate, Aaron Judge started at a torrid pace, hitting over .400 and looking like a triple crown candidate. It happened suddenly when they started playing the top teams and in each crucial series failed to meet the mark, making errors and watching their pitching go up in smoke. The areas they counted on for improvement failed them when important games came up.
The Yankees started to free-fall, and now they are in a logjam with several teams for the three wild-card spots. The problems centered on team culture and a curious lack of intensity. The refusal to own their mistakes and seek to improve was justified through the company line that Yankee GM Brian Cashman and Yankees manager Aaron Boone brainwashed his sheep. The solution to this inner malaise needs a history lesson.
One only had to look at the Yankees of the late ’90s dynasty years. The 2009 world champions were being honored at the 2025 Old-Timers game, and they were not shy in criticizing team fundamentals. Hall of Famer Derek Jeter focused on team defense, “They make way too many mistakes,” and concluded, “If you don’t play better, you’re not going to go very far.” Alex Rodriguez took shots at team composition as far as championship chemistry. “I like a lot of the players individually, but together it just doesn’t work. This was not something Yankee management wanted to hear. Yet it was an honest assessment by those who came through when it mattered to claim the Yankees' last championship. It would serve the Yankees well to get more of the ’90s voices into that clubhouse in a manner not so different from the ’90s team that was able to learn from '70s legends to help forge the last Yankee dynasty.
Brian Cashman at the trade deadline did make some good moves, which will help the Yankees to achieve this championship edge with Ryan McMahon, David Bednar, Amed Rosario, and Jose Caballero bringing an attitude and a tougher revision to the culture. These moves can bring the Yankees a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. In addition, the keys will be Max Fried regaining his form to lead the starters and Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and Bednar holding leads in high-leverage situations. Let's not forget situational hitting and defense. Oh, where have our Yankees gone? This series will tell us exactly where that is and where they will be.
