Can the Yankees Prevail Past their Worst Start in Decades?

MLBMeghan Kilby

Before the MLB season started, the New York Yankees were expected to be real contenders for the 2021 World Series. DraftKings Sportsbook had their odds at +550, only the LA Dodgers had better odds going into the season. So far, the Yankees have played just 21 games and have lost 12 of them. But last week they had a 5-10 record, the worst start for the Yankees in 24 years. Instead of walking off the field to the famous “New York, New York”, frustrated fans filled the stadium with boos and even littered the field with baseballs mid inning.

It’s no surprise the Yankees have been struggling at the start of this 2021 season, but who’s to blame? Players are frustrated, management is frustrated and the fans are certainly frustrated. While there are many games still left to be played, something is going to need to change if the Yankees hope for a successful season.

What’s normally a strength for the New York Yankees, has become one of their biggest struggles so far this season, offense. They have the lowest batting average since 1968 and the lowest OPS since 1973. No one seems to be able to hit the ball. Defense is another factor contributing to the Yankee’s poor season start. They are tied for the fourth-most errors in baseball (12) and tied for the most throwing errors (8). And as for pitching, anyone not named Gerrit Cole has been less than average.

Although the season has just begun, Yankees fans have already started to worry. Yankees management is optimistic and confident they can overcome this disappointing start. With a 3-1 win over Atlanta on Tuesday, the Yankees snapped their 5-game losing streak. Let’s hope this is the kickstart they needed to get back into the win column.

Posted in MLB