Former Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez aren’t too pleased with how the team is performing lately.
During a discussion on FOX Sports before the game against the Reds— which was delayed by rain— both Jeter and Rodriguez shared their thoughts on the recent struggles of the Yankees.
Rodriguez, addressing the Yankees’ back-to-back losses to the Marlins, emphasized the need for improved pitching. “We can’t make up for this,” he remarked. “Bringing in nine pitchers doesn’t change the outcome. I mean, even with legendary players like Rivera and the ’98 bullpen, if your current pitchers aren’t effective, it won’t make a difference.”
He added that a “rebuild” might be necessary for the Yankees, despite the roster changes made during the trade deadline. “This is my biggest concern,” he stated. “Even after bringing in seven new players, we’re still far from contending for a championship… Some players shine individually, but they just don’t mesh well together.”
Jeter echoed Rodriguez’s sentiments about pitching but also pointed out the frequent mistakes the team has made recently. “They’re making too many errors,” he said. “You can’t afford this kind of play against strong teams. For instance, there was a base running error today—it was just unacceptable.”
In that context, he remarked that improvement is crucial. “There’s really no excuse for not playing better,” Jeter mentioned. “If you can’t improve your game, you’re not going to get far.”
Rodriguez later expressed frustration over the lack of accountability among the Yankees players this season. “Where is the accountability?” he questioned. “Had any of us made those mistakes, we would have faced consequences. Instead, it seems like it’s mistake after mistake with no repercussions.”
This criticism follows a mediocre July for the Yankees, with the team slipping to third place in the AL East and holding a 60-51 record, trailing the Blue Jays by 4.5 games.
The Yankees are scheduled to face the Marlins again at 1:40 PM on Sunday.
