If the New York Yankees lose today, they’ll have the team’s longest losing streak since 1982.
This isn’t the way the New York Yankees imagined the season would play out. With a loss today, the team could suffer the longest losing streak since 1982 when they lost nine consecutive games.
What’s more, there is a scenario in which the team could land as the 8-seed in the AL playoff race, dropping off from the 1-spot less than 2-weeks ago.
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Now, I’m not one to use injuries as an excuse. However, in the case of the New York Yankees, you can’t help to point to the insane number of injuries as the main reason for the team’s current 7-game losing streak.
I mean, just look across the diamond at Yankee Stadium today when the team takes on the New York Mets and you’ll see that few of the team’s key players are there.
Let’s start with the left side of the infield and work our way to the right side. Gio Urshela, the third baseman is the most recent Yankee to receive bad news, was pulled before yesterday’s game because of bone spurs.
At shortstop, Gleyber Torres was lifted from a game last week after an apparent hamstring injury. This week, it was announced that he would miss 3-6 weeks of action because of the injury.
Then you have last year’s MVP candidate, DJ LeMahieu, who was activated prior to today’s game. Prior to that, he had spent 2-weeks on the IL with a left thumb sprain.
Moving on to the outfield, Giancarlo Stanton has been out for several weeks, while Aaron Judge was placed on the IL for the second time this season. The first time, he missed two weeks. Now, it seems he’ll miss twice as much time.
Now, as far as the pitching staff goes, last week the team lost their number two starter James Paxton with a left flexor strain. Tommy Kahnle underwent Tommy John Surgery, while Zack Britton suffered a left hamstring strain.
Those are just the key players on this team to suffer injuries. We haven’t touched on secondary and tertiary players that could potentially play a larger role for the Yankees this season.
You have to wonder what’s really behind all of this? Prior to the season, the New York Yankees completely revamped their training staff, and still.
The only other conclusion one could come to is of the supernatural variety: is this team simply just cursed? What do you think?