New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone remained upbeat about his team’s position in the American League standings after a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
Boone pointed to recent results as evidence the club is holding its own despite missing several key players.
“I saw a graphic – we were 18-10 going into today in the last 28. It’s been playoffs every day it feels like. I got people on the street saying it’ll turn around and I’m like ‘we’re doing alright,’” Boone said.
The Yankees fell to 68-53 with the defeat, remaining 6½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. New York holds the top wild-card spot in the American League, sitting eight games clear of the cutoff for the final playoff berth.
Seattle’s Logan Gilbert allowed four hits over six scoreless innings and struck out seven. Weston Wilson’s solo home run in the second inning off Max Fried provided the game’s only run. Andrés Muñoz closed it out for his 21st save.
The Yankees managed just four hits and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Fried took the loss after giving up one run on five hits in five innings.
New York finished its nine-game homestand 5-4. The team took two of three from the Mariners after winning the first two games of the series by scores of 4-1 and 10-5.
Boone has watched his lineup operate without several star contributors for extended stretches this season. Aaron Judge remains sidelined with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. Cody Bellinger is out with a left hamstring strain, and Giancarlo Stanton continues to recover from a right calf strain.
Despite the absences, the Yankees own one of the best run differentials in the majors at plus-89 and the lowest team ERA in baseball at 3.28.
Boone said the club is focused on incremental progress rather than long-term projections. He noted encouraging signs from the offense in recent games, even if consistent production has been elusive.
The manager emphasized the day-to-day nature of the schedule as the season heads into its final six weeks. New York opens a three-game series at Toronto on Friday night.
Gerrit Cole is scheduled to start the series opener against the Blue Jays, who sit at 59-64 and near the bottom of the AL East.
The Yankees have gone 18-11 over their past 29 games after Thursday’s loss. That stretch has kept them firmly in playoff position even as the Rays have maintained a sizable lead in the division.
Boone has repeatedly stressed that the team is accustomed to playing meaningful games in August and September. He said the current group understands the intensity of the stretch run.
The Yankees’ pitching staff has carried much of the load. Starters and relievers have limited opponents effectively while the lineup works through its challenges.
New York ranks near the top of the league in strikeouts by pitchers and has allowed the fewest earned runs overall.
Boone said the focus remains on executing in the next series rather than looking too far ahead. The club will try to build on the positive results from the first two games against Seattle while searching for more consistent run support.
The Rays continued their strong play, sitting at 74-46 after Thursday’s results. Boston is third in the East at 65-56, 9½ games back of Tampa Bay and three games behind the Yankees.
With 41 games remaining, the Yankees remain well-positioned for a postseason berth. Their recent 18-10 mark in a 28-game span underscores the steady play Boone referenced.
