MIAMI – One of the remarks Aaron Boone made from behind the desk in the visitors’ clubhouse this weekend was that it feels like “the world’s on fire” – a glimpse into how the Yankees view the swirling narrative around a struggling team that once held a seven-game lead in the American League East.
Even Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez see it, offering pointed criticisms of their former club into FOX microphones: too many mistakes, not enough accountability, and perhaps not enough starting pitching. That temperature promises to rise after Sunday’s game, a 7-3 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park.
“I think everyone in this room, we have really high expectations, and we’re not meeting them right now,” said Cody Bellinger. “I still really do have full confidence in this group of guys; love this group of guys. I think we have a lot of talented baseball players in here. Ultimately, we’ve just got to play better.”
Miami can feel like an unofficial southern borough of New York City, and 101,545 fans filed into the ballpark for the three-game series, a new stadium record. They were witnesses to the Marlins’ first sweep of the Yankees.
“I wouldn’t say there’s concern, but I think a little sense of urgency would be good for us,” said Ben Rice, who later clarified he doesn’t believe urgency is lacking. “As we continue to move deeper into the season here in this playoff race, we’re going to have to pick it up eventually.”
The three losses came in different flavors. Friday’s 13-12 slugfest featured three blown leads, with all four of the Yanks’ Trade Deadline acquisitions playing a part. Saturday’s 2-0 defeat included a head-scratching play that saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled off on a pop-up to second base, and absent bats – their final 14 batters were retired in order.
“I think we have the makings of a very good club,” Boone said, “but obviously we haven’t shown it consistently enough.”
As for Sunday? The Yankees reinstated Luis Gil from the injured list, handing the ball to last year’s AL Rookie of the Year. Sidelined since late February with a high-grade right lat strain, Gil was inconsistent, charged with five runs over 3 1/3 innings.
Troy Johnston, Xavier Edwards and Kyle Stowers drove in second-inning runs off Gil, who needed 52 pitches to get through the first two frames.
“I wasn’t commanding how I wanted,” Gil said through an interpreter. “But looking back, it was the first start in the big leagues since October of last year. I’m sure we’re going to be able to make the adjustments and keep working.”
After allowing a hit and one of his four walks in the fourth, Gil was lifted, his pitch count at 77 (44 strikes). Brent Headrick surrendered a Stowers three-run homer on an 0-2 fastball – the Miami All-Star’s first home run off a left-handed pitcher this season.
Trent Grisham hit a leadoff homer for the Yankees, their only damage in six innings facing Edward Cabrera, a popular target ahead of Thursday’s Trade Deadline. The right-hander’s electric performance showed why; Cabrera permitted just two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
“That’s one of the better outings we’ve seen,” Boone said.
Chisholm trimmed the deficit with a two-run homer off Josh Simpson in the seventh, but the Yanks never got closer.
Boone referred to this as “gut check time.” Though the lineup could get a boost if Aaron Judge returns from the injured list on Tuesday at Texas, what the manager described as a stretch of “mediocre” play has gone on for months, not weeks.
“Early in the year, I feel like the hitting and pitching was always syncing up well and leading to a lot of wins,” Rice said. “We’ve just got to find that rhythm again.”
On May 28, the Yanks swept the Angels in Anaheim, moving to 35-20 and seven games ahead in the AL East race.
They’ve played to a 25-32 record since then, including being on the wrong side of three series sweeps – June 13-15 at Boston, June 30-July 3 at Toronto and this weekend in Miami.
“It’s getting late – it’s certainly not too late for us,” Boone said. “I’m confident that we are going to get it together. But it’s empty until we start doing it.”