I will admit that there’s a tendency to give in when things look as bleak as they did last month. We’re just fans, after all, and since we’ve lived through so many disastrous Junes only to emerge blinking into July, instinctively averting our eyes from the truth of the standings, it’s understandable that so many of us choose darkness. When the momentum begins going in the wrong direction, it’s no surprise that some give up hope.
How bad has it been? After three straight mediocre Junes, the Pinstripes seemed poised to buck the trend as they started out last month 9-4, but a late slump saw them finish 12-14. Their seven-game losing streak that ended the month and bled into July was historically bad. During those seven games they scored just seventeen runs while allowing seventeen unearned runs, a feat accomplished just once before in baseball history. Widely considered the best offense in baseball when fully healthy, the Yankees scored just 110 runs in June, good for 21st out of 30 teams. When you look at some of the individual numbers, the team struggles aren’t surprising. Here are the six players who played in at least 24 of the 26 games with 75 or more at bats during June.
| Player | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Rice | .196 | .274 | .384 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | .297 | .321 | .564 |
| Cody Bellinger | .228 | .305 | .359 |
| José Caballero | .210 | .275 | .383 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | .177 | .283 | .430 |
| Anthony Volpe | .240 | .321 | .307 |
Aside from Goldschmidt, those numbers are obviously troubling, but there’s even a concern about Goldschmidt. He’s hitless in his last seven games, an 0-24 stretch that roughly matched the losing streak and has seen his batting average drop almost thirty points.
But before you give up on things completely, consider that during the last week of June six of the ten players who started the season opener (Max Fried; Austin Wells; Jazz Chisholm, Jr; Ryan McMahon; Trent Grisham; Aaron Judge; and Giancarlo Stanton) were not available. And there was more bad injury news as Carlos Rodón joined Fried on the injured list, and a potential bullpen addition, young phenom Carlos Lagrange, was shut down, making his expected summer call-up to the Yankees unlikely.
What I’m saying is that things really couldn’t have been worse, and it’s only because the Tampa Bay Rays are currently riding a nine-game winning streak that the Yankees have fallen to a season-worst four games out of first place. Both of these teams, I’d imagine, will revert to what’s expected as the Rays’ luck will run out (take a look at their run differential) and the Yankee will get healthy. Trent Grisham announced his return with a first-inning home run as the Yankees finally snapped their losing streak, and other pieces aren’t far behind. Aaron Judge, after all, is still waiting in the wings.
As for June, nothing we can say can change anything now, so I prefer to look towards July. Things will get better.
Sorry for the delay, everyone. We had some technical issues behind the scenes, but here we are. Let's go, Yankees!
You won’t believe it if you didn’t watch, but there was a moment when it looked like the Yankees were going to get this game. It didn’t seem likely when they fell behind 6-0, but then it was 6-4 and the bases were loaded with one out. And now it’s 11-4. Oh, and four more unearned runs this inning.
I hope we never see Doval again. We will, but that won’t keep me from hoping.
I look forward to the next time the Yankees take a 3-0 lead in the first inning. They aren’t just losing, they’re losing games early.
During this streak (eight losses in nine games), the Yankees have led for a total of six innings. In seven of the games they never led.
When the twinkies are having their way with the Yankees,things must be real bad. Sigh.
Well, it's Sunday and the Yanks have pounded out 3 hits in 7 innings. Being behind 6 - 0, it looks like 9 loses in the last 10 games. Losing Judge was a blow, but Rice slumping has really hurt... and of course a slumping Goldschmidt and Bellinger, and.. and.......
It literally seems impossible for us to be this bad.
Can we blame this on Boone?
[7] Boone is not in the batter's box nor is he making errors to allow all these unearned runs. That' my $.02.
Right big toe discomfort, Jazz?
Try a lower back with loose bone fragments (CT scan this week, finally) plus a concussion with two CRIs. Brain is still there, looks like a worm in the pilot seat (which would explain so, so, much.)
It’s funny. I’m under doctors orders to lie down and rest (even sleep) to heal my concussion. Yet the absolute worst thing I could do is watch the team at this point.
Wow, 3 hits again today. At least they were all longballs.
[2] I’m not going to be able to watch the rest of the week, probably the whole month
Hoo boy, TBS game, I might stay awake for it. 5 CTs in one week though.
Nice of Will Warren to throw batting practice tonight. It's a special skill to throw one meatball after another.
The New York Yankees can't stop striking out.
In a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Florida, New York whiffed 17 times to become the first team in American League history whose batters hit that mark in consecutive nine-inning games.
I know I'm a broken record, but it's really well past time for Aaron Boone to get fired for being a terrible manager and for Brian Cashman to get fired for putting this team together. And it's also time for Hal to sell the team since he seems disinterested in winning.
I still can’t believe the Nationals have a 33-year-old manager and a 31-year-old pitching coach. You won’t find many high school teams with a staff that young.
Schlittler seems to be giving up more homers recently. I think maybe they figured out something.
Just from watching the games, would you ever have guessed that the Yankee bullpen has the lowest ERA in baseball? Not I.
[19] To be fair, I haven't watched that many games, but I have a hard time believing that is true. Seems like the Yankees should get one reliever in the all star game then.
Bellinger with the early odds to win AS MVP.
Phew
Two on, DP. This playwright shows no imagination.
A run !
There are many reasons why I hate MLB’s broadcast rules. Here’s the main one — even though I pay for the Extra Innings package, they blackout the Yankee broadcast when they’re playing the local team. It’s stupid.
So now I’m watching the Dodger broadcast. And guess what? They just rehashed the fifth inning from Game 5 two years ago. That was nice.
Yankee Stadium obviously brings out the best in these Dodgers pitchers. Two years ago Yamamoto had the best start of his young career, and look at Sasaki tonight. He had previously thrown 15 pitches 100mph or higher in his career (26 starts). He has 17 tonight.
Bad feeling about this walk
Sigh
Bad feeling about that home run.
But I don’t think I’ll ever have a problem with keeping Cole in for an extra batter, even when it doesn’t work out.
Obviously Wells should’ve challenged that two-strike pitch. Given the state of game, it would’ve been wise even if it hadn’t been overturned. (It would’ve.)
The problem is the offensive funk.
[31] Truth. It's a miracle they beat the Nationals 3x. Rough start out of the ASB. Yuck.
The bad sends never end.
That’s such a great relay by Betts.
I think it was actually a GREAT send. The coach read the bad throw from Pages and sent Grisham on a night when the Yankees can’t get a hit. Betts just made a phenomenal play. It had to be perfect, and it was.
[36] I don't think I've ever seen Grisham try to score from 1st. He is not the fleetest of foot. The Dodgers had to have the perfect carom off the wall. Check. And then a perfect throw from Betts. Check. Grrrrrrr......
Okay, maybe Betts’s throw wasn’t perfect.
Also, to your point, I don’t think Grisham expected to be sent. He seemed to slow down just a touch heading to third before picking it up again. That made the difference.
I should’ve cued up the WFAN feed. These announcers are irritating. Beyond irritating.
I don’t know if I’d hate the Dodgers as much as I do if I didn’t live out here, but I really do hate them.
The YES guys are breaking down that play and pinning it on Grisham who didn’t appear to running full speed.