Bad Signs for Yankees Yesterday

The Yankees looked so good for so long, winning 21 out of 24 at one point, that all their flaws were buried under great performance.

But yesterday, in 18 innings against the Chicago White Sox, at home, no less, they scored 1 run, and had a bullpen meltdown in each game. In the opener, it was Aroldis Chapman in the 9th inning. In the nightcap, it was Jonathan Loáisiga in the 8th.

Luis Severino had a fantastic start, going 7 innings, allowing 8 hits, but no walks, and no runs, striking out 5. It was a performance worth of an offensive explosion, or at least a couple of runs.

No such luck. White Sox started Michael Kopech took a perfect game into the 6th inning, when, with 2 outs, Rob Brantly doubled to center. It was still 0-0 at this point, so a hit in the next at-bat would have been big. But DJ LeMahieu flew out.

With 2 out in the 7th, Kopech walked Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres, but struck Estevan Florial out to end the threat. (Florial is one of those "prospects" that Brian Cashman so loves, but never seems to pan out.)

Severino had thrown 94 pitches. Boone took him out, and replaced him with Loáisiga. One of the keys to the Yankees' making the Playoffs the last 2 seasons, he has been a shell of his former self this season. He allowed a single, got a strikeout, allowed another single, got a lineout, and then allowed single, single, home run -- to Tim Anderson, the subject of the previous day's controversy, who made a "Sh!" sign with his finer as he approached his alleged antagonist, Josh Donaldson, at 3rd base.

Marwyn Gonzalez singled with 1 out in the 8th, but could not be brought around to score. Aaron Judge doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th, but that would be it. White Sox 5, Yankees 0. WP: Kopech (1-1). No save. LP: Loáisiga (1-2).

So, here's how things stand, with 6 of the regular season's 26 weeks gone:

* The Yankees still have the best record in baseball, 29-12, and are in 1st place in the American League Eastern Division, by 5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays, 7 over the Toronto Blue Jays, 10 over the Boston Red Sox, and 12 1/2 over the Baltimore Orioles. Their Magic Number to clinch the Division is 117.

* The nasty habit of the offense disappearing cropped up again yesterday.

* The bullpen remains a question mark. Can Aroldis Chapman be trusted, in any situation? Is Clay Holmes fit to be the new closer? What is wrong with Loáisiga?

* Boone continues to make baffling decisions, perhaps on Cashman's orders.

Tonight, the Yankees begin a 3-game home series against the Baltimore Orioles. Gerrit Cole starts against Jordan Lyles, before going down to Tampa Bay, for a 4-game series that might tell a great deal about whether the Yankees will be ready for the postseason.

Yes, we have to think about the postseason now. We know the Yankees can get there, because they have, in 6 of the last 7 seasons. But they haven't won a Pennant since the World Series win of 13 years ago. Sweeping the Rays, or at least taking 3 out of 4, would be a good sign, though hardly definitive.

We need good signs, not the bad signs of yesterday.