It sounds unthinkable. It feels unlikely. But the Yankees can realistically miss the playoffs this year.
After another lost weekend, this time in Miami, they find themselves in third place in the AL East. They are closer to being out of the playoffs than to the top of the division.
Now only eight games over .500 after this ugly sweep at the hands of the Marlins, Aaron Boone’s team remains 4.5 games behind the division-leading Blue Jays, 1.5 in back of the scorching Red Sox and only three games in the loss column ahead of the Rangers and Guardians — the first two teams that would miss the postseason if the regular season ended today.
The Yankees are 18-27 since June 12. They are 5-17 in their past 22 road games. They own just one series win over a winning team since early June, the sweep of the Mariners in The Bronx from July 8-10.