Friday night was the last straw.
After a seventh straight loss and 11 losses in 13 games, several Yankees expressed the need for everyone to unite.
Some things had to be addressed.
“Every time you cross a hard stretch, sometimes the boys feel sorry for themselves. Sometimes it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, “said veteran camper Brett Gardner after the Yankees concentrated on three eight-inning runs in an 8-7 win over the Mets at an exhausted Citi Field.” “One of those things, that’s enough. A couple of people had a few things to say. I thought it was going well and maybe it worked. We won today, so I hope we win a streak of wins.”
Several different Yankees spoke at the meeting: players like Corey Kluber, Andrew Velazquez, Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge. The judge declined to say who convened the meeting, but noted that several players felt it was important for them to meet. The judge spoke and his message was simple: don’t forget who we are.
Amid their massive struggles, he told teammates, the Yankees remain in the playoffs, tied with the Blue Jays for the second AL wildcard and a game behind the Red Sox for first place.
“We relayed the message and it’s time to move on,” the judge said. “I had a message, just like a lot of guys. But I think the most important thing is to remind the guys, ‘Hey, we’re still on the hunt for the playoffs. The world will not fall on us. Remind everyone who they are, who we are: we are the Yankees of New York. It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to wear these stripes and play with this team. When you get to September baseball in New York, that’s where it’s fun. “
The talk seemed to help, at least for a match. The Yankees won their long streak of defeats, gaining a great initial advantage, blowing it up and bouncing back late to get a win that fell to the bottom.
The Yankees spun the bats better than ever, defeating four homers (two by the judge) and after regaining the lead in the eighth, Albert Abreu and Aroldis Chapman each threw a goalless draw, stranding three combined runners. on the base. The defense was error-free, after several mistakes the night before.
“We definitely needed it,” Gardner said. “We needed it a few days ago, but it hasn’t arrived until today. Over the last month, we have been at the highest highs and here recently at the lowest lows.