The New York Yankees are facing increased pressure in the American League East as the Boston Red Sox have completed a dramatic surge, closing the gap to just a half-game for second place in the division. What was once considered improbable – the Red Sox trailing significantly after a difficult start to the season – is now a tangible concern for the Yankees.
As of Friday, the Red Sox had a torrid stretch of 31 wins and 5 losses, a remarkable turnaround after firing manager Alex Cora in late April and falling 14 games below .500. This run has suddenly put the Yankees at risk of not only losing second place but also potentially slipping into a wild card spot with less than two months remaining in the regular season. The Tampa Bay Rays currently lead the AL East by 4 1/2 games.
"They're right on our ass. We got to pick it up," pitcher Cam Schlittler told The Post. "I don't know how that doesn't motivate us a little bit, just with the position Tampa's in, Boston's right there. I think [we] got to play better baseball if [we] want to solidify ourselves for a playoff spot and try to go win the division."
Schlittler added, "We got to get our s–t together a little bit if we want to — things were comfortable for a little bit, now they're not. Things have been up and down. We got to play better, consistent baseball and obviously when I'm out there, that starts with me on the mound."
The dynamic has shifted significantly since the two rivals last met in person on June 25 at Fenway Park. At that time, the Yankees held first place at 48-31, leading the Rays by three games and the Red Sox by 15 1/2. Boston, with a 32-46 record, was then considered an afterthought in the AL basement.
The narrative changed during that June series, which saw the Red Sox sweep the Yankees in a four-game set. Since the start of that series, Boston has gone 31-5, while New York has gone 16-20.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the Red Sox's impressive play. "What a run, man," Boone said. "I was in that camp even when they were struggling, going, ‘That's a really good team.' But anytime you got on 26-3, 31-5, that's some pretty amazing baseball, doing it against some really good teams, too. Impressive. They've obviously put themselves right in the middle of the playoff picture now."
Both teams have relied on strong pitching, but the Red Sox have managed to thrive offensively with a resilient lineup, even as the Yankees have struggled in the absence of Aaron Judge. Boston also bolstered its roster by acquiring All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman from the Orioles at the trade deadline, though he is currently on the injured list with wrist inflammation.
"When he comes back, I expect them to probably be in an even better position," Schlittler said of Rutschman. "They got a great team, I've been saying that all season. They just had to find their rhythm a little bit and I knew once they did, they'd get clicking. So I'm really happy for the guys over there that I know. So yeah, now they're in a position to talk."
The Yankees and Red Sox are scheduled to meet again in the Bronx for a four-game series at the end of August. By then, the Yankees may have players like Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton back in the lineup, while the Red Sox are contending with injuries to key players like Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony.
Before focusing on their head-to-head matchups, in which the Yankees hold a 5-4 advantage this season, the Yankees are focused on improving their own performance.
"We talk about all year long, a lot of smart people overreact all season," Boone said. "You realize how long of a season it is. It's just a forever season, and you make these assumptions on teams and write teams off or crown teams or crown players, ‘This guy's the MVP after three weeks.' It's so long, and the beauty of that long season is it does weed out good from great and good from OK."