The look on Mark Teixeira’s face tells it all.
The Yankees are mired in a slump to beat all slumps. Not only has the lights-out pitching from early in the year disappeared, but the offense is sputtering right now as well.
Which is not a good combination.
I’d say the slump started with the Detroit series, which was won by the Tigers three games to one. Then it looked like the Yankees dominance over the Twins would never end, that is until Jason Kubel proved that Mo was in fact human by hitting a grand slam—the first ever slam given up by Mo at Yankee Stadium.
The split with Boston, then came the Rays, who absolutely crushed the Yanks in their abbreviated sweep.
The emergence of Teixeira’s offense has taken a step back toward April. After a hitless and 3 K game tonight against the Mets, he is now hitting .204. Even a bigger surprise is Derek Jeter, who no one has really talked about, but he is just hitting .264 this season after going 0-4 at the plate tonight.
Even Brett Gardner’s hot start is fading away. Also hitless tonight, his average has dropped to .304. A-Rod and Cano seem to be the only reliable guys at the plate right now. And you can’t win ball games with just two hitters.
Throw in Johnson’s surgery and Posada’s injury, which will keep him out for at least a month, and the Yankees are in trouble right now.
But don’t despair, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The Yankees will conclude a stretch of 17 games in as many days against the Mets on Sunday night, where CC will look to give the Yankees the series win.
After a much needed day off on Monday, the Yankees open a four game slate with the Twins, who the Yanks, traditionally, dominate. But there are no guarantees, as we learned from the Kubel blast.
After the series in Minnesota, the Yankees schedule looks easy, at least on paper. They play four against the Indians, three with the Orioles, three in Toronto, another three against Baltimore, and three with the Astros in the Bronx—certainly a few teams the Yankees can get healthy against.
Speaking of healthy, Curtis Granderson is set to begin his rehab assignment in Scranton and could be ready by the end of this week. And Alfredo Aceves will begin to throw in Tampa on Monday, but still has no time specified for his return.
So the Yanks will be getting an opportunity to gain some ground on Tampa soon, the question is will they take advantage of it?
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