The Yankees have lost eight in a row to the Red Sox, a potential first-round opponent in the playoffs.
NEW YORK — In a year where the Yankees already cornered the market on mental mistakes, failing to hit when it counts and otherwise working their way down the ladder of success, here’s the ultimate badge of dishonor:
They’ve been embarrassed by the Red Sox in what was supposed to be the season’s biggest series. Three games so far, three demoralizing losses, a million reasons to believe this team is going nowhere in October.
If the playoffs began today, the Yankees would face this same Red Sox team that’s beaten them eight straight times in 2025. Note to self: the Sox are no one’s idea of a powerhouse. It’s just that the Yankees have been that bad.
Saturday’s 12-1 wipeout was met with the usual infuriating platitudes from Aaron Boone, who said, “we have to play better.”
Better? It’s likely to get worse for the Yankees, who have a 12-game stretch in early September against four playoff-bound teams: the Astros, Blue Jays, Tigers and Red Sox.
The Bombers have lost 18 of 25 to these clubs.
You’re not wrong to fear the worst. It feels like a short, brutal post-season is coming. The Yankees could conceivably slip by the Mariners, who are emerging as the No. 3 wild card. But everyone else is a threat.
In the current snapshot, the Yankees wouldn’t have the home field advantage at any point in the playoffs. That’s especially critical in the Wild Card Series. The Bombers would be on the road for all three games.
But even that’s a generous projection. Who’s to say the Yankees won’t just self-destruct altogether.
Boone seems lost in the dugout (not to mention during his post-game press conferences). Aaron Judge is nowhere close to returning to the outfield. Luis Gil is pitching like it’s spring training (for him, it is). The bullpen is so inconsistent Devin Williams is rising again.
And then there’s Anthony Volpe, staggering though another slump.
The shortstop who Boone once called “(bleeping) elite” made another error on Saturday, No. 17 on the season. He leads the majors in mistakes.
As for his helplessness at the plate, Volpe is 1-for-28. His average has dropped to .208, the lowest since April 16 and also the second-worst in the majors. Volpe’s .274 on-base percentage is the sport’s third-worst.
And yet Boone continues to reward his least productive player with more starts, more at-bats, more chances to live up to his billing as the Yankees’ No. 1 draft pick in 2019.
The manager runs Volpe out to shortstop everyday like he’s Cal Ripken, but the fans have had enough. Volpe was savagely booed in the ninth inning, which coincided with the Yankees’ lowest moment of the season.
That’s when the Red Sox scored runs off Paul Blackburn, who was scooped up following his release by the Mets this week.
To say Blackburn and the Yankees were humiliated by their long-time rivals is just the G-rated version of how bad it was. Volpe’s error was compounded by Blackburn’s run-scoring balk, to go with Boston’s seven-hit attack.
I don’t blame Blackburn. He’s a short-term piece who’ll be gone as soon as Fernando Cruz comes off the Injured. Blackburn was handed a garbage time assignment, which meant there’d be no help during the Sox’ endless assault.
But the steady blur of runs amplified the negative vibe that’d been swirling around 161st Street all weekend. The Yankees, once leading the division by seven games, are now 1.5 games behind the Sox for the top wild card spot.
Not even Max Fried’s six shutout-inning gem on Friday helped. The Yankees lost 1-0 because, as always, they can’t win without home runs. Manufacturing runs, which the Sox do so well, is beyond the Yankees’ skill set.
“One-dimensional” is the way one American League scout described the Bombers’ offense. ‘
Asked about the Yankees’ 211 home runs, MLB’s tops, the scout said, “you can get away with that against Tampa. That’s how you beat bad teams. But it doesn’t work in the playoffs.”
Case in point: the Yankees have scored four runs in the three games against Boston, two of them on solo home runs by Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton. Take away the HRs and the Bombers have batted .170 (16-for-94) in the most important stretch of the season.
No wonder the Yankees look and sound so deflated. The slow, steady decline has finally punctured the fantasy of a slam-dunk return strip to the World Series.
“We’ve got to play better, that’s what it comes down to,” said Judge. “The coaches can’t fix that, the fans can’t fix that, the media can’t fix that. It’s the players in this room, We’ve got to step up. That’s what it comes down to.”
The captain sounded honest enough. I believed him when he said he was “angry” at the damage the Sox have inflicted. But neither Judge or Boone or anyone else can explain why the Yankees can’t beat Boston – or any of the teams who pose a threat.
The Bombers are 32-35 against clubs with records above .500. That means October-caliber clubs.
The good news? There are 13 games against the Twins, Orioles and White Sox in late September that’ll likely spare the Yankees the humiliation of missing the playoffs.
But so what?
Say the Yankees end up in the Wild Card against the Red Sox – at Fenway for all three games.
Then what?
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Bob Klapisch may be reached at [email protected].
Category: General Sports
