For portions of the past two months following losses, personnel on the New York Yankees have spoken to the media and stated their belief in the talent on the roster.
The Yankees are hoping to see their words translate into a sustained hot stretch. Their next opportunity is Monday night when they host the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game series.
The Yankees are 2-7 since the trade deadline and are 27-36 since holding a seven-game lead atop the American League East. New York’s high-water mark for games above .500 was 17 (42-25) following a 1-0 victory at Kansas City on June 12 when it held a 4 1/2-game lead.
New York lost six straight from June 13-18, won six of 10 before another six-game skid from June 30 to July 5. The Yankees followed the second six-game slide with five straight wins. However, since Cody Bellinger homered three times in an 11-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 11, they are 9-15 in their past 24 games.
“I wholeheartedly believe that we are going to get rolling and turn this thing around,” manager Aaron Boone said after Sunday’s 7-1 home loss to the Houston Astros. “And when it does, then you really start to build that next layer of confidence where guys are kind of feeding off each other. But it’s all just talk right now. But that’s how I feel about it. We got to go do it.”
On Sunday, the Yankees were held to three hits or less for the eighth time this season, getting no-hit until Ben Rice singled in the sixth.
“We’re just not playing good baseball, that’s what it comes down to,” said captain Aaron Judge, who is in a 7-for-43 (.163) skid in his past 13 games
The Yankees scored their lone run on a sacrifice fly by Ryan McMahon in the seventh and were held to three runs or fewer for the sixth time in eight games.
Minnesota lost nine of 13 from July 13-30 and dealt 11 players in nine trades. Since the transactions, the Twins are a respectable 5-4 and are coming off consecutive series wins over the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.
Luke Keaschall, who missed three months with a fractured forearm before returning Tuesday, hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning to give the Twins a 5-3 win on Sunday over the visiting Royals. The rookie second baseman has a hit in 11 of his 12 career games and is hitting .415 after going 3-for-5 on Sunday.
Ryan Fitzgerald hit a two-run homer Sunday and Ryan Jeffers extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Jeffers also is hitting .378 (17-for-45) in 11 games since coming off the paternity list on July 29.
“The way we’re able to work together as a group right now feels good, looks good and I think there’s that feeling that everyone has inside them when they’re on the field,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “They’re on their toes. They’re trying to make things happen and playing aggressively.”
Will Warren, the last Yankee to complete six innings on July 30, makes his first career start against Minnesota. Warren (6-5, 4.44 ERA) is 0-1 with a 3.51 ERA in his past five starts and is coming off his fourth straight no-decision after allowing three hits in five scoreless innings in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at Texas.
Fellow right-hander Zebby Matthews (3-3, 5.17) will make his 18th career start for Minnesota — first against the Yankees — and is attempting to win consecutive starts for the first time since debuting last season.
After allowing five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings during a 13-1 home loss to the Boston Red Sox on July 30, Matthews yielded one run on five hits over five innings in Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers for his second career road win.
–Field Level Media
