The New York Yankees fell 6-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, their 10th loss in the last 12 games. The deficit in the AL East grew to four games, and the slide that began in late June has shown no signs of slowing down.
Tuesday’s game offered a few reasons for encouragement. The lineup put together 11 hits on Tuesday, the most they have managed in a single game in weeks. Ben Rice connected on a three-run homer. The bottom of the order contributed. There were stretches where it looked like the offense was waking up.
Bellinger Reacts to Alarming Trend
The strikeout numbers told a different story. Seventeen for the second consecutive night. A combined 34 across the two games, a total no Yankees team has ever reached in a two-game stretch.
Bellinger was asked about that number after the game. His reaction was telling.
“That’s a lot of strikeouts,” Bellinger said. “I knew we had 17 yesterday. I didn’t feel like we had that many today, but obviously I’m wrong.”
The at-bats looked better. The swing decisions felt sharper. And still, 17 more strikeouts went into the books.
Bellinger pointed to the quality of pitching the Yankees have been facing, particularly Tampa Bay’s staff.
“The Rays, they’ve notoriously got really good arms,” Bellinger said. “Just gotta continue to put the ball in play, do the little things right.”
GettyCody Bellinger of the New York Yankees..
Boone Weighs In
Boone was asked about the state of the offense and did not reach for anything comfortable.
“This is where we are,” Boone said. “That’s the bed we’ve made. We’ve also been a very good offense much of the year. Right now we’re going through it. We gotta be better. Clearly…I don’t know if it’s approach. I think we got some guys clearly going through it right now and in a little bit of a funk and a little bit in between, coupled with we’re facing good pitching. But at the end of the day, we gotta find a way offensively. Especially times when it’s challenging.”
He was also asked directly about the strikeout numbers, which have put the Yankees near the bottom of the league.
“I don’t want to be down at the bottom,” Boone said. “But we’re going to keep trying. We’re going to come in here and grind away tomorrow and try to get this thing turned around.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 09: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on May 09, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Yankees
Thirty-four strikeouts across two games is a franchise record. Bellinger’s baserunning mistake cost them a chance in the sixth. Goldschmidt’s slump reached 0-for-30. The evidence keeps piling up.
But Bellinger’s message was simple. Come back tomorrow. Win the game. Take the series.
Cole has the ball Wednesday. A chance to bounce back.
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