Inside The Pinstripes

Aaron Boone: ‘We’ve Got to Find a Way to Get Better’

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is growing frustrated with how many games the Yankees have lost recently, saying his team needs to find a way to get better

Pat Ragazzo

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees are in serious trouble.

New York has dropped seven of their last nine games and were swept on the road in a two-game weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

After Sunday’s latest loss, manager Aaron Boone was left “very concerned” with how the team is playing.

“We’ve got to find a way to get better,’’ Boone said. “We’re gonna find out what kind of character we’re made of. We’re clearly in the midst of incredibly tough times. We’ve faced it this season and we’re gonna find out if we’re the team we think we are.”

At 33-32, the Yankees have endured their slowest start to a season since they went 31-34 out of the gate back in 2016. They’ve now fallen into fourth place in the AL East and are 8.5 games back of the first place Tampa Bay Rays.

When asked if his team has gotten used to losing, the usually mild tempered Boone became fired up by question.

“I know them too well,’’ Boone said. “I don’t think there’s any getting used to fricking losing. Hell, no. Get the hell out of there with that.”

Following a debacle from Jameson Taillon on Saturday, where he got knocked out in the first inning, Germán had his worst outing of the season on Sunday, allowing seven runs in 4.1 innings.

After Germán's rough start, where the offense was nowhere to be found, the Yankees were also back at it again with their baserunning mistakes when Rougned Odor got thrown out at third.

Even their starting rotation, which was once a bright spot, holds a 6.16 ERA in their last 14 games, per YES Network.

Phillies ace Aaron Nola dominated the Bronx Bombers’ lineup, who went hitless until the sixth inning after DJ LeMahieu led off the game with a base hit.

The Yankees have now lost three games in a row, and head to Buffalo to face a red-hot hitting Blue Jays team on Tuesday.

“It starts with me setting the tone and setting the culture here,’’ Boone said. “Hopefully we’re putting them in a good position to go out and perform at the highest level. We have not done that well enough.”

Although Boone said they’ve increased their baserunning work and switched up their offensive routine, the Yankees have yet to see these methods pay off, which has found them looking less and less like a playoff contender by the contest.

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for Sports Illustrated's Mets and Yankees On SI websites. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is frequently heard on ESPN New York FM 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast hosted by Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport.

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