On Tuesday, the Yankees found themselves six games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, marking their largest deficit for the season.
At this point, they’re still waiting for key players to return: Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton.
Given their aim for the division title, which they missed last year, the Yankees certainly have a challenging road ahead, with about a quarter of the season left.
“Nothing changes,” manager Aaron Boone stated when asked about the team’s objectives before they secured a 4-1 victory over the Mariners.
This is especially true considering Judge has been out since late May due to a broken rib, and his return date remains uncertain.
Bellinger seems to be progressing from a hamstring injury, while Stanton was active as a baserunner on Tuesday.
Without these three, the lineup’s strength is definitely in jeopardy. Interestingly, after Judge’s initial absence, the Yankees had established a 3.5-game lead on June 17 before slipping further behind the surging Rays.
They have performed well against the Red Sox, who are also vying for second in the division.
Despite the gap, Gerrit Cole shared Boone’s sentiment that winning the division for a second time in three years is not just achievable, but expected.
“Honestly, I didn’t even know what game it was, but that doesn’t change our mindset,” Cole remarked. “Our focus is on winning the division.”
This determination will remain until they are mathematically out of contention.
“A six-game deficit makes sense statistically, but we haven’t adjusted our goals, and we won’t until it’s over,” Cole asserted.
He emphasized that the current roster challenges do not alter their standard.
“We’re held to a certain level, regardless of who’s on the field,” Cole added. “That’s always our focus.”
If they want to turn the tide in the standings, adding more depth to the lineup before the stars return is essential.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. recognized his part in the underperforming offense, suggesting that dethroning Tampa Bay is still possible.
“Winning the division is still realistic,” Chisholm noted. “If they go on a slump and we perform well, it could tilt in our favor. That’s the nature of baseball; anything can happen.”
There’s also a recent example of inspiration: last year, as of August 23, the Yankees were in third place, trailing Toronto by six and a half games and the Red Sox.
Even with just 12 games left, they found themselves still five games behind, but ultimately fell short in the playoffs when Toronto eliminated them in the ALDS.
“It’s about taking it one day at a time,” Chisholm concluded.
