Pathetic Yankees stat after Nationals series shreds their World Series resumé

What's the difference between good teams and great teams? Technically, it's impossible to make a firm determination until the championship dust has settled, but there are typically a few solid indicators of mettle along the way.

Great teams take advantage of their opponents' mistakes with fearsome consistency; good teams get around to it occasionally, but often fail to deliver. Great teams never let the opposing pitcher off the hook when the pressure's on him; good teams love the bases-loaded, no-out sac fly. Great teams fight back and never say die; good teams say "die" a solid amount of the time.

Looking to poke a hole or two in the 2024 Yankees' championship resumé, despite a wide-open playoff bracket? When these Yankees are placed in an early hole, either by their opponents rising to the challenge or their starting pitchers (often Carlos Rodón) faltering, they don't get backup. They, instead, say, "Good one. Thank you for beating me."

It sounds reductive, but along the pathway towards a World Series victory, you're going to face some deficits. You're going to, occasionally, be "buried" early. The Chase Utleys of the world are going to make your lives miserable in the opening frame. It's your job to get up. It's your job to punch back. You don't have to be '09 A-Rod every single day, but you have to be him sometimes.

The 2024 Yankees? Almost nobody in baseball is worse at recovering from an early body blow. You get the Bombers first, you got 'em for good.

Yankees are one of MLB's worst teams at coming from behind after first inning deficit

Whenever you can rank right alongside the Pirates, Blue Jays and White Sox in a statistic in 2024, you've gotta do it.

If it feels like these über-talented Yankees somehow never fight back from early deficits, it's because they typically do not. It certainly doesn't hurt that a good portion of these first-inning deficits are substantial (again, many of them fueled by early Rodón meltdowns), but a ratio tilted this far in the wrong direction typically portends an October full of straightforward losses.

These Yankees don't appear to have championship mettle. Hopefully, a whole bunch of things that haven't clicked yet eventually click swiftly.