Time to Admit the Obvious About the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees were just swept by the Tampa Bay Rays and have now lost five straight games overall to fall to 8-7 on the season, as many of the same issues that plagued the Yankees last year have reared their ugly heads in 2026, as well. Bullpen. Poor lineup depth.

A lack of timely hitting. An inability to manufacture runs. These are all problems New York faced in 2025, and thanks to Brian Cashman largely standing during the offseason, surprise surprise, the problems still exist.

The Yankees watched as the Rays put on a small ball clinic on Sunday, laying down bunts, utilizing speed and actually getting hits with runners in scoring position. Those are all things New York has long had difficulty doing. Am I advising that the Yanks start bunting regularly?

No, but the fact that the Yankees seem almost incapable of generating runs without the long ball remains concerning. New York has plenty of starpower. Aaron Judge.