The race for the top spot in the American League East has gotten uncomfortable for the New York Yankees.
And it’s safe to say Yankees manager Aaron Boone is more than frustrated with his team’s performance, allowing a 15 1/2 game lead in the division on July 8 to shrink down to five games before Saturday’s contest against the charging Tampa Bay Rays.
Boone was especially irked after the 9-0 drubbing the Rays handed them Friday — the largest defeat of the season for the Yankees — which led to Boone ripping his ballclub.
“That’s an embarrassing loss,” Boone said, per ESPN’s Marly Rivera. “Hopefully, one of those rock-bottom situations, where you should be pissed off and embarrassed. We’ve set a better standard around here. We just got to be better. Period.”
The Yankees have been terrible since the start of August, going 10-19, so it’s no wonder Boone is pulling his hair out. To make matters worse, Andrew Benintendi, who was acquired prior to the Major League Baseball trade deadline, suffered an injury in Friday’s loss.
“It’s just embarrassing when you get beat like that and you’re going through the struggles you are,” Boone said, per Rivera. “I’m in charge of this team. What we’re going through right now, I know better than anyone, there’s going to be hard moments and hard times. I do think the effort’s there, I think the care is there. But we’ve set a much better standard in that room that we’ve got to start living up to.”
This isn’t the first time Boone has allowed his emotions to boil over during the Yankees’ losing skid. He had a temper tantrum suited for a child in mid-August after New York lost their 15th game in 19 contests.
