With the Bronx Bombers, the dingers are real, the pop is undeniable, and they’ve got the long ball in spades. But here’s the thing, and Yankees fans might want to sit down for this, you cannot win October baseball booting grounders like a rec league team in mid-July.
One Yankees Error Leads to Another — and Then a Home Run
Thursday night was a perfect example. The Yankees weren’t just playing the Red Sox in a key wild-card showdown — they were handing them runs on a silver platter. Four errors. One of them was airmail-style from young catcher Ben Rice, another a flat-out head-scratcher from Paul Goldschmidt that kept the ninth inning alive long enough for Roman Anthony to blast a “leave-no-doubt” shot that practically ended the night right there.
This wasn’t just sloppy — this was the kind of performance that screams, “We’re not ready for October.”
You Can’t Out-Hit Your Way Out of Defensive Collapse
And that’s the problem.
This team can mash. Judge, Stanton — pick your poison — they’re always one swing away from flipping the script. That’s what makes the Yankees so dangerous. But it’s also what makes these defensive lapses so frustrating. Because it’s not about talent. It’s not about potential. It’s about execution — and that’s where the Yankees keep tripping over themselves.
We saw it last year. We’re seeing it again now. Same song, slightly different verse. And it always seems to show up when the lights are brightest and the stakes are highest. You can’t outslug defensive ineptitude forever. Eventually, those extra outs catch up with you — and on Thursday night, they sure did.
Time Is Running Out to Fix What Keeps Breaking
Now, let’s not be melodramatic. This is still a very good team. They’ve got depth, they’ve got firepower, and when they’re locked in, they look like they could take on anyone. But great teams? They make the routine plays. They don’t hand away runs in a playoff chase.
So here’s the million-dollar question: can the Yankees clean it up in time? Or are they destined to watch another October slip away, one error at a time?
One thing’s for sure — if the leather doesn’t tighten up, the home runs won’t be enough.
