The New York Yankees held a commanding lead on the American League East at one point in the season. But they’ve since fallen off a cliff and dropped to third place in the division behind the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays.
To make matters even worse, the Yankees can’t seem to beat their rivals at all this season, as the Red Sox are 8-1 against the Bronx Bombers this season.
Following the Yankees’ third loss in as many days against the Red Sox, captain Aaron Judge spoke to the media and placed the blame on himself and the rest of the players.
“We’ve got to play better,” Judge said following the Yankees’ third consecutive loss to their rival, via MLB’s Bryan Hoch. “That’s what it comes down to. Coaches can’t fix that, fans can’t fix that, media can’t fix that. It’s the players in this room. We’ve got to step up.”
The Yankees need to figure out a way to beat the Red Sox, or else they could be in for a short postseason. The way things are shaping up, there’s a chance the Yankees and Red Sox could meet in the wild card round of the postseason.
Judge hasn’t been his typical self since returning from his elbow injury. As he continues to get back into the swing of things, he should heat back up. Once he’s able to return to the outfield, the lineup should receive a boost as well, as Giancarlo Stanton could begin to play every day again.
Either way, the players on the field are the ones to push the blame on right now, as Judge suggests.