There comes a point in every season when the underlying issues can no longer be ignored, no matter how much optimism fans try to muster. For the New York Yankees, that moment has arrived once again. Despite flashes of brilliance and a roster packed with talent, the same frustrating patterns have reemerged, leaving supporters with more questions than answers. Whether it’s late-inning collapses, questionable managerial decisions, or a bullpen that can’t seem to hold a lead, the Yankees have found themselves trapped in a cycle that feels all too familiar.

While some fans may continue to brush off these concerns as mere bad luck or temporary slumps, others see a deeper problem—one that goes beyond individual performances and speaks to a larger issue within the organization. As the season progresses and expectations remain high, the pressure mounts on both the players and the front office to find real solutions. The time for excuses has passed; now, it’s about facing the hard truths and demanding accountability from those responsible for steering the team. For Yankees fans, hope is eternal, but patience is wearing thin.

It was only a matter of time.

San Diego Padres v New York Yankees San Diego Padres v New York Yankees | Sarah Stier/GettyImages

For all the New York Yankees fans out there who decry others who express a shred of pessimism about the team, this one’s for you. Because you ignore patterns. You ignore truth. You think “speaking something into existence” is the proper approach despite 271 forces working against you.

Here’s the reality: the Yankees are one of the worst teams in MLB in games decided by two or fewer runs. They have the most losses in the league (five) when LEADING in the eighth inning or later. They had a chance to give themselves a respectable cushion in the AL East, but instead sit at an underwhelming 19-16.

How can you diagnose that problem? The optimists out there will shrug and say “Whoopsies, bad luck! Let me go look at some advanced metrics to make myself feel better.” The pessimists (and realists) will say, this is purely an execution problem, and it starts with Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman.

And that would sound like beating the dead horse. But it’s not. Since 2020, the Yankees have been one of the worst teams in MLB in extra innings. They employed Clay Holmes last year, who led MLB in blown saves despite being removed from the closer role for the final month of the season. Don’t get us started on Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, or situational hitting. Please.

In typical Yankees fashion, they have largely followed up these inexplicable stretches of play with ridiculous excuses. It took about six weeks, but Boone is back at it again, first telling us that he kept JC Escarra in to hit with the bases loaded on Sunday against the Rays because he had “more experience” than Jorbit Vivas. The “more experience”? About 25 additional MLB at-bats.

Then, on Monday night, after the Yankees blew their second game in three days, Boone had another confounding explanation for his bullpen decisions.

In the top of the seventh, Carlos Rodón was removed from the game after 6 2/3 scoreless innings. He got into some trouble with runners on first and third, and Boone went to Fernando Cruz. When all was said and done, Cruz threw just two pitches and the inning ended after Luis Campusano attempted to swipe home on a passed ball. Austin Wells corralled it, tagged the Padres DH out, and ended the inning.

Cruz was then removed in the top of the eighth — again, after TWO pitches — for Devin Williams, who ultimately blew the game because he couldn’t throw strikes. Calling upon Williams, who is currently in the midst of rediscovering himself after some wild struggles to begin the 2025 season, in general, was a bad decision given the horrible conditions. The man’s success rides on his ability to harness his grip and control, and you’re going to ask him to pitch in the pouring rain?

But forget that. Boone’s reasoning for removing Cruz was more egregious than even thinking about Williams for that spot. He said Cruz threw two innings two days ago, insinuating he didn’t want to overwork the right-hander. But then why bring him in at all? And what if he ended up throwing, say, 12 pitches if he got into more trouble in the seventh? Then it just wouldn’t have mattered?

If Cruz needed rest, then he shouldn’t have appeared in the game. It’s beyond wasteful to use somebody for two pitches, unless it’s to close the door on a win. After Sunday, Boone had a fully rested bullpen, so there weren’t any mental gymnastics impeding him from making the right decision.

But, somehow, he still ended up using his four best relievers after his starter gave him 6 2/3 scoreless innings .. and it came in a losing effort. So, on top of Devin Williams being bad, you have Aaron Boone undoing all the good he did over the last week and a half to get the right-hander into favorable situations so he could get back on track. And then you have these ridiculous excuses that insult everybody’s intelligence to parse through in the postgame.

If you want to keep living on your own version of Candy Land, thinking everything is fine with the Yankees and that if you “like the New York Yankees” the team will somehow be better off, then go right ahead. The rest of us will apply the proper pressure when people are continuously bad at their jobs for weeks on end.