A Sweep in June Seems Worse Than It Is

Yes, the Yankees were riding high coming into Fenway this weekend. Their bats were coming alive. They had won 7 out of their last 9 ball games. Then...unexpectedly, as they headed into a 3 game series with the team they were chasing for 1st place, the Red Sox, they received as Aaron Boone described it, “That’s a serious punch in the mouth.” The Red Sox swept the Yankees, 5-3 Friday night, 4-2 on Saturday night and today 9-2.

Even with losses in the first two games, the Bronx Bombers were confident that Sunday would be OK with their ace, Gerrit Cole on the mound. Red Sox leadoff hitter, Kiké Hernandez deposited that theory over the Green Monster on the very first pitch of the contest off the Yankee hurler to give the Sox the lead and they never looked back. Boston pounded Cole for 8 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings, far from the savior the Yankee faithful had hoped he would be today.

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Now let’s take this series in perspective. The Yankees have played 77 games. More than half of the season remains. Yes they have lost all 6 games to the Red Sox but the Yankees play Boston 8 more times in July, 2 more in August and a final 3 in late September. There is time.

I do think the Yankees will shake things up but they won’t fire Brian Cashman or Boone. I even doubt that they will fire hitting coach Marcus Thames. What they should do is send Clint Frazier down and bring up Estevan Florial. Florial is tearing it up in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, New York’s AAA franchise. Estevan has shown that his time has come and Frazier has not displayed that he is ready to be an everyday player. Maybe another demotion will be good for him.

Either way, Red Sox fans don’t get too excited. There is still plenty of season left and the Yankee roster is too good not to make up 5 games with 87 left. Patience.