The Yankees haven't been below .500 this late in a season in nearly 3 decades
If you're 30 or younger, you're probably watching the worst New York Yankees season of your life.
The Bronx Bombers lost their fifth straight game Wednesday, falling 2-0 to the Atlanta Braves to lose in a three-game sweep at the hands of the NL East leaders and push their record down to 60-61. The Yankees remain in last place in the AL East by 3.5 games.
This is the latest that the Yankees have been under .500 in a season since 1995, as it's the first time since Sept. 5, 1995, that they've had a losing record through 120 games. That year, the Yankees were 60-61 through 121 games (with one game suspended). They finished with a record of 79-65 in the strike-shortened season and made the playoffs for the first time since 1981.
The Yankees' last below-.500 season came in 1992, when they finished 76-86. Stathead's Katie Sharp also noted that they are 24-36 in their past 60 games this year, marking their worst 60-game stretch since a period between June and August 1992.
The results have matched the headlines and the eye test this season. Few, if any, teams have been more beset by injuries than New York this season. As of Wednesday, the team has Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes, Anthony Rizzo, Josh Donaldson, Frankie Montas and more on the injured list. And some of those players aren't coming back.
The Yankees have also missed the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for long stretches this year. Starting pitcher Domingo Germán has entered alcohol rehab and won't return this season after a reported verbal altercation with manager Aaron Boone and others inside the clubhouse. Another player, reliever Jimmy Cordero, has been for suspended the remainder of the season for violating the league's domestic violence policy.
That is whom the Yankees are missing and have missed. On the field, they haven't impressed, though that's partially due to a historically strong AL East, in which every team but the Yankees is above .500 with a run differential of at least +25. The Yankees are at -14.
What's more, things have gotten weird in the Bronx. Boone has gone viral with an absurd umpire tirade. Stanton has been thrown out because he jogged home. The team hired a broadcaster to replace a fired hitting coach. Rizzo went on the injured list in August for a concussion he apparently sustained in May.
As a team, the Yankees entered Wednesday ranking 22nd in MLB in runs scored and 17th in runs allowed. They are hitting .232/.307/.402 with a 4.06 ERA. Not exactly the results you expect from the team that ranks second in payroll this season, though the team that ranks first, the $376 million New York Mets, currently sits at 55-66.
The Mets at least sold aggressively at the trade deadline and were rewarded with some great prospects (while making enormous financial concessions). The Yankees basically did nothing and will get nothing out of this season.
It wasn't the Yankees' year, but at least they're not the Chicago White Sox. And there is still reason to watch them, or at least watch them every fifth day, with Gerrit Cole leading the American League Cy Young race.
