The New York Yankees season hit a brand-new low last night as they were shut out 5-0 by the Atlanta Braves.
The lifeless loss dropped them to an even .500 record (60-60) for the first time since May 1, when they held a 15-15 record. The downward spiral marks unfamiliar territory for the historic pinstripes – as they have not been at .500 this late in a season since 1995.
Bryce Elder’s dominating performance on the mound was masterful in his seven-inning, one-hit performance which left the Bombers looking lost and incompetent.
Needless to say, the Yankees clubhouse was an unhappy place after the loss.
“We’re not showing up,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge lamented. “That’s what it comes down to – we’re not showing up when we need to. Especially down the stretch right now, and we’ve gotten every opportunity to keep ourselves in the race. But we’re not capitalizing on what we need to.”
Aaron Judge believes that the Yankees' issues with execution is the cause of the team's struggles.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/oQN81HN724
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 16, 2023
The Braves continued to dominate the series, outscoring the Yankees 16-3 across the first two games and extending New York’s losing streak to four.
“We need to take some personal pride,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone emphasized, acknowledging the team’s collective responsibility.
Aaron Boone tells @M_Marakovits that he saw improvement in Luis Severino's outing against the Braves.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/hrUMtQgDqC
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 16, 2023
The game took a swift turn against the Yankees as the Braves wasted no time taking advantage of Luis Severino’s struggles on the mound.
Severino, who has faced a challenging season, allowed three runs in the first inning, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
“I was feeling really good today,” Severino explained. “I thought I was in command of all my pitches. Just a couple of mistakes.”
Luis Severino shares his thoughts on his performance in Atlanta with @M_Marakovits.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/9hZpL6ezbh
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 16, 2023
The Yankees struggles have been glaring, posting a record of 12-22 since July 4.
“I think the preparation is there, I think everyone is preparing the right way,” Judge acknowledged. “It comes down to execution. Guys in between the lines just not executing: When you get a pitch, not being able to do something with it. When you get guys on base, we’re not moving them over, not driving them in. So, we have to keep preparing. We have to bring it.”
Boone echoed Judge’s sentiments: “It sucks,” he admitted. “We’re just not playing well enough, and that starts with me and everyone on down: We just have to be better. It’s a broken record right now.”
As the Braves eye a series sweep, the Yankees face the prospect of falling below .500 this late into the season for the first time in nearly three decades.
Should the Braves complete the sweep on Wednesday, it would mark a significant historical milestone for the Yankees, dating back to their 1995 season.
There’s still (a little) time to turn the season around. But many, many things need to change in order to do so.
Needless to say, Yankees fans are not happy.
@Yankees @espn @YESNetwork @MLBNetwork @MadDogUnleashed @Giancarlo818 @ARizzo44 WHY ARE YOU GUYS SMILING DURING A BLOWOUT???? This is NO HEART!!! Disgusting its time to clean house @AaronBoone Cashman 1st We need a real Captain Mattingly to Manage pic.twitter.com/0oQG8Ivq0W
— Bert Calebro (@BCalebro) August 16, 2023
Do you think the Yankees will still make the playoffs?
If they don’t, should Boone be fired?
We know General Manager Brian Cashman is reportedly safe no matter what – which just adds to the fans’ frustration.
Just imagine if George was still alive…