The New York Yankees began an 11-game stretch on Tuesday in which they played home and away series with the Colorado Rockies and a Minnesota Twins team that is struggling more so than the the Yankees are this season. But with their loss on Wednesday, the Yankees fall into last place in the A.L. East.
Yankees Fall Into Last Place in the A.L. East
The Yankees followed up their 13-10 loss on Tuesday with a 6-3 defeat on Wednesday at the hands of the Rockies, which caused the struggling and injury plagued Yankees to fall into last place in the A.L. East.
After Wednesday’s loss, it was clear that the Yankees manager Joe Girardi was in no mood to elaborate or even discuss how his team has fallen into the basement of the A.L. East, as reported by Andrew Merchand of ESPN.
Yankees starter Ivan Nova, who has pitched well for New York since being inserted into the starting rotation, allowed five runs on 10 hits in only five innings in Wednesday’s loss. Given the Yankees lineup on Wednesday, however, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that they couldn’t produce more than three runs.
Since the Yankees were playing in a National League park at Coors Field, meant there was no DH, which meant there was no Alex Rodriguez for the Yankees. Another player who was not available for the Yankees was their right fielder Carlos Beltran who missed his second straight game with a nagging right knee issue, not to mention Mark Teixeira is still unavailable to play.
With three of the Yankees biggest run producers unable to play, they were forced to bat second baseman Starlin Castro third, Chase Headley fourth and shortstop Didi Gregorius fifth. After seeing that lineup put forth by the Yankees, it certainly had to give the Rockies a certain level confidence heading into play.
The Yankees have now lost four straight games and are 7-7 in the month of June. Girardi must be wondering if his message is getting through.
“Win every series. The message never changes,” Girardi told ESPN. “I don’t care who you are playing. If you do that, you will not have to worry.“
For Yankee fans who wish to see their team not only compete, but contend as well, then there is a lot for them to be nervous about. They’re currently in last place with absolutely no evidence that they might be able to turn things around any time soon. Instead of the Yankees organization providing their fans with hope, they’re hearing more and more trade rumors involving two of their elite pitchers, relievers Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, along with the possibility that the Yankees could become ‘sellers’ at the trade deadline.
At 31-34, the Yankees are fortunate to only be four games back in the Wild Card race, even though half the American League is ahead of them. Luckily for the Yankees, their next opponent happens to be the Minnesota Twins who hold the worst record in the league. At Target Field, Girardi and the Yankees will at least have Rodriguez back in the DH spot. It’s hard to believe that the Yankees need to rely on a 40-year-old Alex Rodriguez with a bad hip, as well as a 39-year-old Carlos Beltran with suspect knees.
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