Yankees’ defeat by Mets unmasks critical chinks in the team armor

NEW YORK — The Yankees’ 9-3 defeat against the Mets ended their recent winning streak, which had come against the struggling Royals. It also highlighted crucial deficits that threaten their playoff aspirations and prevent their attempts to bounce back.

While their loss at Yankee Stadium put the Yankees back into the bottom of the American League East, it unveiled how the Yankees are running out of time to figure out their identity. With a record of 53-48, they’ve had success against weaker teams like the A’s and Kansas City (8-1), but they’re struggling against other opponents (45-47).

Their run differential of plus-9 is the worst in the division, lagging 31 runs behind the Blue Jays, who have the second-worst differential. The Yankees have already lost all three games against the Mets, who are not in a good position for the National League playoffs. A Subway Series sweep would be a major blow to manager Aaron Boone’s squad.

With the trade deadline looming just a week away, the Yankees find themselves in a precarious position. Each victory could serve as a convincing argument for owner Hal Steinbrenner to push general manager Brian Cashman to go all-in, making the necessary deals to bolster the team’s chances for success in the playoffs.

Tuesday’s loss served as a valuable lesson for the Yankees. There are persistent flaws that have been haunting the team throughout the year and those surfaced once again.

Yankees’ offensive woes return to ruin their recovery

Indeed, Mets’ starting pitcher Justin Verlander showcased shades of his future Hall of Fame brilliance, using his devastating slider to dominate Yankees’ hitters and toss six scoreless innings with six strikeouts, four walks, and four hits allowed. It’s not a disgrace for the Yankees to struggle against a pitcher of Verlander’s caliber.

Boone acknowledged that Verlander had complete control over the Yankees’ hitters during the game.

After Anthony Rizzo’s promising performance during the weekend (5-for-12, .417 batting average), he struggled in Tuesday’s game, going hitless in five at-bats with two strikeouts. Leadoff man Jake Bauers faced a similar outcome. In fact, the first five Yankees hitters collectively managed only one hit (though they did draw six walks, three of them from DJ LeMahieu). None of the Yankees batters recorded multiple hits, and they went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Gleyber Torres, the Yankees’ most reliable hitter (112 OPS+ entering Tuesday, second best on the team), extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with a third-inning single, but that was the extent of their offensive success.

As the Yankees wait for a definitive return date for Aaron Judge, the rest of the lineup is expected to step up. However, it might be unfair to ask for significant improvements from a team that currently ranks 20th in runs scored with 443, 22nd in OPS at .708, and second to last in batting average at .230.

Defensive chinks exposed

Throughout this season, the Yankees have been consistently plagued by inadequate outfield defense, with left field being a major area of concern.

In the opening inning, Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso hit a ball into shallow left field, which should have been a routine out for the Yankees. However, Yankees’ left fielder Billy McKinney took a less-than-ideal route to the ball, leading to a hit that had a 90 percent catch probability according to Statcast. The misplay allowed the Mets to take a 1-0 lead. Upon reviewing the play, it was evident that McKinney had stepped backward before taking a looping path to the ball, causing it to drop between him, Bader, and Volpe. The hit by Alonso had a .050 expected batting average, factoring in exit velocity and launch angle.

In the third inning, Francisco Lindor hit a high fly ball into the short left field that fell in for a hit. Statcast calculated a 60 percent catch probability with an expected batting average of .030. This misplay by the Yankees added to their tally of 12 hits allowed this season with expected batting averages below .050, ranking them third in baseball, trailing only Oakland and Texas in this regard. The Mets capitalized on Lindor’s double, and two batters later, Alonso blasted a three-run home run, extending their lead to 4-0.

At the end of the third inning, Bader and right fielder Bauers had a close call as they nearly collided at the wall while going for a flyout. Among the outfield positions, the Yankees have a positive ranking in outs above average only for the center field this season. After Bader made the catch, he exchanged a look with Bauers and shook his head, expressing some frustration or concern about the incident.

Bader stated that regardless of the players positioned to his left or right and irrespective of their experience or time playing in that position, it falls on him to lead and command the outfield unit. He emphasized the importance of establishing effective communication and setting expectations for the group. Bader acknowledged that both Bauers and McKinney are capable players. He took responsibility for the communication level on the field and acknowledged that mistakes happen and that one must take accountability for them.

The recurring issue of subpar outfield defense has been extensively covered, and it’s likely to persist unless the Yankees take action to rectify it soon. The team started the season without a reliable left fielder, and they are still facing the consequences of that oversight.

Yankees rotation remains highly unreliable

Since June 16, Domingo German has struggled with a 7.21 ERA, even though he managed to pitch a perfect game during that time. In essence, he has mostly faced unfavorable outcomes, struggling to strike a balance between excellence and avoiding critical errors. During the game against the Mets, he surrendered three home runs due to poorly placed pitches.

During Alonso’s first home run, German delivered a poorly placed changeup right in the middle of the zone. For the second homer, his fastball missed its location and ended up over the plate, allowing Alonso to drive it into Monument Park. Immediately after that, Daniel Vogelbach capitalized on a hanging curveball and sent it soaring.

Boone acknowledged that German surrendered the back-to-back homers late in the game. It came within hours of the Yankees manager claiming that German had been pitching well. His inconsistency made the Yankees pay a price.

Boone commented that German’s stuff “seemed pretty good to me.” He also pointed out that Germán has allowed 20 home runs this season. Regarding Nestor Cortes’ impending return in early August, Boone indicated that Germán might be removed from the rotation since they won’t opt for a six-man rotation.

Boone expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating, “I don’t really envision that.” He mentioned that Cortes probably would have a couple more rehab starts to complete, and he didn’t want to get ahead of themselves with any plans yet. So, Boone clarified that the idea of a particular scenario was not necessarily on the table.

Despite the potential return of Cortes, the Yankees‘ starting pitching remains uncertain and unreliable. Cortes had his struggles before his shoulder injury, and Severino’s performance has been disappointing. Even Rodón, who is set to pitch on Wednesday, hasn’t shown his best form in his initial three starts. The team has relied heavily on Cole and Schmidt, who have been the only consistent starters recently. Considering this situation, if the Yankees are looking to make moves at the trade deadline, acquiring another starting pitcher would be a logical choice.

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