Aaron Hicks two-out bunt is new low for Yankees offense vs Twins
What happened, Yankees? We gave you the blueprint for hitting Sonny Gray on Monday evening in frigid Minnesota. You don't appear to have listened.
The first time through the order has not gone well for the scuffling Yankees, and while the air temperature and wind chill won't help, competitive at-bats would be nice. It was certainly nicer, weather-wise, this past week in the Bronx, too, but the offense's story was the same.
Ever since Anthony Volpe opened this game by taking a borderline high strike three on a full-count pitch, it's been downhill for the Bombers.
How far downhill, and how fast? With two outs and nobody on in the first, Aaron Hicks took advantage of a rare start by bunting Gray's first pitch directly towards the mound. He didn't drag it. He didn't really do much of anything. He just fed it to the catcher, who lobbed on to first for the out.
Yankees offense, Aaron Hicks look pathetic vs Sonny Gray
Somehow, Hicks' bunt wasn't even the ugliest at-bat of the first three innings.
Hell, he had a better xBA than Aaron Judge!
Just look at this miserable painting. This isn't a good team having a bad day. This is a bad team encountering a Cy Young-level performer and repeatedly allowing him to dictate the action.
Jhony Brito bounced back nicely to start this contest for the Yankees, but slugging Twins infielder Jorge Polanco broke the ice first with a two-run single, which should be more than enough for Minnesota to hold on against this current iteration of the Yankees.
Take Giancarlo Stanton out of the lineup, and the Yankees collapse like a house of cards. Turn down the thermostat, and it suddenly gets even uglier.
We weren't prepared for October weather today. Not with this group of sluggers. Apparently, neither were they.