After a season-high 5 game losing streak, Manager of New York Yankees Aaron Boone gathered his players to remind them of who they are in the visiting clubhouse at T-Mobile Park: this team was the best in baseball for the first half of the season.
His words appeared to have the desired effect, as the Yankees broke out of their slump with a 9-4 victory over the Mariners, which included Aaron Judge’s MLB-leading 44th home run.
The Yankees were 0-5 since the Aug. 2 trade deadline, when they dealt a clubhouse favorite in Jordan Montgomery and Joey Gallo in exchange for Andrew Benintendi, Frankie Montas, and relievers Lou Trivino and Scott Effross.
The Yankees’ lead in the AL East was reduced to 912 games after being swept by St. Louis, the Cardinals’ first sweep of the Yankees in franchise history. Following their win in Seattle on Monday night, their lead has increased to 102 games.
The Yankees‘ 5 game skid was their longest since losing seven in a row in mid-September of last year.
Before the All-Star break this year, the Yankees were on a 119-win streak and were regarded as one of the few major league teams without a major weakness. Their pitching had also been stellar; as of July 9, the Yankees were 61-0 when leading in the 8th inning, the team’s longest winning streak to begin a season.
What’s happened since then? When they lead in the eighth inning or later, they are 10-4.
The Yankees have gone 19-21 in their last 40 games after having one of the best starts in franchise history, including an 11-game winning streak.
Nonetheless, Boone claims that he has not detected any lack of confidence among his players.
Boone also reminded his players that the Yankees are hopeful about the return of key sluggers Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton, with pitching help arriving later in the arms of Luis Severino, Miguel Castro, and Zack Britton.
However, the Yankees’ injury situation isn’t all good news, as they lost Matt Carpenter – who had been having a resurgent season at the age of 36 – to a broken left foot in the first inning on Monday.
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