The New York Yankees avoided a sweep in Queens on Sunday, salvaging a lone victory in the Subway Series. But that win did little to soothe the sting of their 6–16 record since June 10, a stretch that has sent them tumbling from first place in the AL East to a precarious grip on a wild card berth.
On the July 7 episode of Pinstripe Post, veteran insider Joel Sherman questioned whether the franchise’s two most influential figures—manager Aaron Boone and captain Aaron Judge—have failed in upholding accountability and technical precision inside the clubhouse. And as the Yankees slip further in the AL East standings, Sherman warned fans: “This has now happened three years in a row… it’s not just coincidence anymore.”
While Sherman praised Aaron Judge’s consistency at the plate — the slugger has hit .284 with 27 HR and 71 RBI — he questioned the captain’s influence off the field.
“Judge isn’t a riot act captain,” Sherman said. “Sometimes you need a voice to say, ‘This isn’t acceptable.’”
He compared Judge unfavorably to Derek Jeter, noting that while Jeter projected calm publicly, he held teammates accountable behind closed doors — often through enforcers like Jorge Posada, Brett Gardener, or CC Sabathia.
“The Yankees haven’t replaced Brett Gardner or Sabathia — guys who would throw a chair across the room if they had to,” Sherman added.
Three-year trend points to deeper Yankees problem
The Yankees’ recent 6–16 stretch marked the third straight season they’ve cratered in June and July. They posted similar swoons in 2023 and 2024, ultimately derailing both postseason hopes and regular-season momentum.
Through the first two months of the 2025 season, the Yankees posted a stellar 39–18 record, pacing the American League in runs scored. Since June began, they’ve fallen to 48–38, with one of the worst records in baseball over the last 30 games.
This kind of freefall is nothing new. The Yankees went 7–18 from June 4 to July 2 in 2023, and 6–17 from June 10 to July 8 in 2024. Now, in 2025, they’ve followed the exact same path—marked by sloppiness on the field, a stagnant offense, and internal confusion.
“You can’t say this is just baseball,” Sherman said. “Every team has a bad week. But the Yankees have had multiple six-game losing streaks again—and they’ve lost all rhythm. That’s not normal.”
Sherman added that the issue isn’t simply execution—it’s a lack of self-examination: “Do they need a different philosophy? A different spring approach? Because something is breaking down 70 to 80 games into every season.”
“They’ve lost six in a row twice already this year,” Sherman noted. “This isn’t just a slump — it’s a pattern.”
‘Grout of winning’ is missing
Sherman was unsparing in his critique of how the Yankees play fundamental baseball, calling it a recurring mental fatigue issue.
“The fundamentals are the grout of winning,” he said. “If you want the tiles to stay in place, you’ve got to be good technically—and the Yankees just don’t run the full marathon as a technical team.”
He pointed out the regression of shortstop Anthony Volpe and miscommunications on routine defensive plays as red flags, adding: “Nobody gives away 90 feet more easily on both sides of the ball than the Yankees.”
Judge and Boone: Too soft for the moment?
In the most pointed commentary of the episode, Sherman questioned Judge’s temperament as a captain, describing his tone as “more Derek Jeter in public than in practice.”
“Behind the scenes, Jeter was tougher than people realized. Judge doesn’t project any of that,” Sherman said. “I don’t know that the players feel any fear of disappointing him. Or Boone, for that matter.”
Sherman suggested the Yankees miss the clubhouse presence of players like Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia—guys who weren’t afraid to “drop the hammer” when standards slipped. “Boone isn’t a riot act manager. Judge isn’t a riot act captain. So who’s holding this team to a standard?”
Technical fatigue: The hidden weakness
Sherman called out the team’s worsening fundamentals, citing lapses in base running, fielding, and situational hitting.
“The fundamentals are the grout of winning,” Sherman said. “The Yankees seem mentally exhausted when it comes to doing things the right way every day.”
The data backs it up. Over the last 30 games:
- The Yankees are 29th in MLB in fielding percentage (.978).
- They’ve committed 21 errors, second most in the AL during that stretch.
- They’ve also allowed 22 unearned runs, the most in the league.
On the basepaths, they’ve been picked off five times and lead the league with 13 outs on attempted extra bases in that span.
A culture without consequences?
Sherman emphasized the problem isn’t talent. The Yankees’ roster, on paper, was improved from last season, bolstered by veterans like Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. But the team’s collective approach has frayed under the pressure of summer baseball.
“There’s no internal fear anymore,” he said. “No player is worried about a manager chewing them out or losing a job for sloppiness. That wasn’t true in the George Steinbrenner era.”
Sherman also called out the Yankees’ spin control in postgame media sessions, citing Boone’s consistent refusal to criticize players publicly: “That’s fine once. But when it’s serial, when these mistakes happen again and again, you have to be honest.”
“That looks like horsesh*t,” Sherman said bluntly. “It’s not two guys making smart plays. It’s two guys not being on the same page.”
He added that Boone’s “pal around” approach, once seen as a strength, may now be the team’s undoing: “There’s no fear. No one is worried about being held accountable.”
Volpe, Dominguez, and the defensive decline
Sherman didn’t stop with leadership. He offered a scathing breakdown of Volpe’s recent regression, both at the plate and in the field.
“He must bat ninth,” Sherman said. “He’s coming up in every big moment and killing them offensively. His approach with runners in scoring position has been brutal.”
As for defense: “The ball is finding him—and the bat is finding him—at the worst times. His throws haven’t been sharp. It’s time to simplify his role.”
Sherman also noted Jason Domínguez’s erratic play in left field. “He’ll look fine one game and lost the next. That inconsistency is costing them real games.”
Anthony Volpe, once seen as a cornerstone, has regressed sharply:
- Batting .219 since June 1, with a .243 OBP and just 3 XBH in his last 25 games.
- Leads the team in runners left in scoring position (27) over the last three weeks.
- Defensive metrics have slipped: –3 Defensive Runs Saved at shortstop since June.
Sherman’s verdict? “He should be batting ninth, not sixth.”
Dominguez’s play in left field has been equally uneven. Though his OPS is a team-best .986 in the last 15 games, his defensive metrics are troubling:
- –4 Outs Above Average (OAA) since his return.
- At least three misplayed balls in the Mets series alone, costing the team key bases and runs.
“They need at least one starter, two relievers, and a right-handed bat who can play second or third,” he said. “And if you’re playing Jazz Chisholm out of position at third just to keep DJ LeMahieu at second, you’re hurting yourself daily.”
Sherman floated Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes as a possible trade target: “He could be their next Scott Brosius—an elite defender on a good team who just needs to hit .240 and turn the lineup over.”
Aaron Boone’s refusal to publicly criticize his players has become a flashpoint. After Anthony Volpe’s poor decision on a routine grounder in Toronto, Boone defended him instead of addressing the mistake.
Can Yankees still recover?
The Yankees’ bullpen ERA is 5.12, ranked 25th in MLB. Opponents are batting .283 in late innings (7th–9th). The rotation has just 7 quality starts in the last 25 games.
Despite the regression, the Yankees remain only 2.5 games out of first place in the AL East and in control of a wild card spot. But the margin is thinning, and matchups with Seattle and Chicago loom before the break.
“This is a championship-caliber roster on paper,” Sherman concluded. “But if Judge and Boone don’t start demanding better baseball, it won’t matter.”
The next three weeks will test the Yankees’ mettle—and perhaps define whether this era ends with glory or frustration.
What do you think?
