The Yankees have dropped seven of their last eight games, two straight by just one run, and continue to play sub-.500 ball over their last 45 games.
The dog days of summer have arrived, and seem to be hitting the Bombers hard, but they’ll continue to let optimism prevail within the clubhouse.
“We know we’re gonna be fine in the long run, but it gets more and more frustrating when we don’t come out and win,” Kyle Higashioka said. “We’re definitely not satisfied with that. This is the time of the season where you gotta dig deep and pull it together.
“It’s a long year, and it only gets tougher as it goes on. We just have to dig a little deeper.”
The Yanks held a late lead after home runs by Higashioka and Aaron Jude in Wednesday’s series finale against the Mariners, but Albert Abreu promptly allowed three runs in the bottom of the seventh to give the lead right back to Seattle, the latest deflating loss in a stretch that has been full of them.
“We obviously know we’re struggling,” Nestor Cortes said. “We probably could be playing a little better, but I think guys understand that we’re still at the top and just have to get over this skid and hopefully get back on track.”
The Yankees are banged up without Giancarlo Stanton and Matt Carpenter, are faltering in tight games where they used to thrive, and perhaps, tired?
Higashioka says the latter has not been a factor.
“Not that I’ve noticed, but it is towards the end of the year, and it’s a long season,” Higashioka said. “Everyone knows it. But I don’t think it’s crept into anybody’s minds that we’re getting tired. You can’t do that.”
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