Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says team's offense has to 'step it up'

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says the team's offense must "step it up" if it wants to make the playoffs this season. The Yankees are eight games behind the Orioles in the AL East and 3.5 games out of the second wild card spot in the American League.

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says his team's offense must play better. 

Steinbrenner spoke before the Yankees played the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles and addressed the team's offense, which ranks 19th in runs scored.

"They've got to step it up, and they know it," Steinbrenner said to the Associated Press, before the Yankees lost 5-3 to Baltimore on Wednesday.

The loss, New York’s fourth in a row, put it eight games behind Baltimore and 3.5 games out of the second wild card spot in the American League. 

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The team’s pitching rotation has suffered numerous injuries. Masahiro Tanaka is sidelined with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament, CC Sabathia is out with a knee injury and Ivan Nova is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

"The injuries have been as frustrating as they were last year," Steinbrenner said. "'When you lose four of your starting pitchers by the All-Star game ... it's going to have an impact."

- Scooby Axson