Yankees: 5 unforgivable regular-season losses that sealed NYY’s 2021 fate

4. Falling to 41-41 on the Year vs NYM

Another Gerrit Cole start! These are fun, aren’t they? In a seven-inning game against the Mets, who, even when they were good weren’t really good, Cole lasted just 3.1 innings and allowed four runs.

But not to worry! The offense came alive and took a 5-4 lead! All they needed was for Aroldis Chapman to shut the door and they’d grab the first game of the doubleheader.

Happy Fourth of July, Yankees fans! Chapman allowed a leadoff homer to Pete Alonso, who was having a dreadful first half … and then hit Michael Conforto and walked Jeff McNeil. In comes Lucas Luetge, who promptly let all of those runs (and more!) come in.

It was a six-run ninth for the Mets, who won 10-5 as the Yankees — you guessed it! — went down in order when faced with their final chance to respond. Through 82 games, they were 41-41. Absolutely sickening. First, Cole blows it. Then, Chapman blows it a second time.

How often do you see a team’s supposed best players crap the bed over and over? The Yankees also only struck out three times in this game, but managed just seven hits and committed two errors.

The Mets ended up winning the season series 4-2.