Yankees: Tough time for sluggers while being swept by Rays
The Yankees just got swept by the Rays and will need to rebound as they continue their road trip to Philly.
Just the other day, the Yankees were the class of MLB. Their biggest “problem” seemed to be their excessive depth. However, the tables have quickly turned.
The Yanks are coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Rays. The high-powered Bombers scored a grand total of seven runs in Tampa, as they were surprisingly shut out 4-0 on Saturday.
Even with Giancarlo Stanton having a terrific five-hit performance in the final game of the series, the Yankees couldn’t pull out an extra-inning win. According to ESPN, manager Aaron Boone remained optimistic.
"“‘As far as the losses, I look at it as a bump in the road,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com after a 7-6 loss in the series finale.”More from Yankees NewsAaron Judge Time interview scared Yankees as much as it scared youWhy weren’t Yankees in on Kodai Senga now that we know the price?Baseball Reference proves Yankees’ Aaron Judge lives rent free in BostonYankees’ Clay Holmes trade just became even bigger disaster for PiratesMets stealing New York Post’s entire Yankees offseason plan is hilarious"
The Yanks’ misfortunes got even worse on Sunday. Struggling star catcher Gary Sanchez left the contest with a groin/hip injury and is likely headed to the disabled list. At least for the short-term, this injury removes a critical cog from the Yanks’ offense. Recently, the Bombers have not lived up to the expectation that they could withstand such a loss.
Fans can be forgiven for hitting the panic button. The series in Tampa was the first time the Yankees had been swept all season. The potentially record-setting offense has suddenly gone cold. To be fair, the bats woke up in the series finale, as they tallied six runs. Yet, the outburst still wasn’t enough.
On Monday, the Yanks begin a three-game series on the road against the Phillies. On paper, this follow-up to being swept by the Rays does not bode well. The Phils have been one of the National League’s most surprising teams this season. Gabe Kepler’s club has stayed competitive in the NL East race as they hope to continue a four series win streak.
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The Yankees are trending in the opposite direction as their current three-game losing streak is the club’s longest of the season. Sanchez is down, and, even if the offense does wake up, the bullpen looks vulnerable. The Bombers will have to withstand these tough times and get their mojo back ASAP.