The good part is, we're going to know right away about these Yankees. We're going to learn an awful lot across the next 10 days and 11 games. The second half of the season doesn't begin with a cautious toe-dip in the shallow end of the pool, it starts with a cannonball off the high board. Four in Boston, also known as first place in the American League East.Friday night:
Mike Mazzeo, Daily News:
This implosion has now moved into the top spot on the Yankees' worst loss of the season rankings.
It seems like there's a new contender everyday.
Aroldis Chapman was victimized by bad luck and poor command in Friday night's 5-4 demoralizing defeat to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Chapman, who hasn't lived up to his five-year, $86 million deal so far, faced five batters after being brought in to protect a 4-3 lead. He retired none of them.
The game ended on Andrew Benintendi's walk-off walk. The Yankees have now blown 18 saves, the highest total in the majors. They blew 16 saves all of last season. They are 7-19 in their last 26 since a 38-23 start, and are 9-18 in one-run games. ...
In his last 12 appearances, Chapman has given up 10 runs (eight earned) over 9.1 innings for a 7.71 ERA. ...
The Yankees have now dropped to 4.5 games back of the Red Sox in the AL East standings. ...
It was the first game of the Yankees' 11-game, 10-day roadtrip. It couldn't have ended any worse.
Chapman gave up a pair of infield singles against Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia to open the frame. The duo then executed a perfect double-steal against an unaware Chapman. Xander Bogaerts hit a grounder to second, which was booted by Ronald Torreyes - his second error of the night - as Betts came in to score and tie the game.
Hanley Ramirez was then intentionally walked to load the bases for Benintendi, who drew a free pass to force in the winning run.
George A. King III, Post:
As demoralizing as Friday night's ninth-inning loss to the Red Sox was, it wasn't the worst thing to come out of Fenway Park for the Yankees.
No, as the Yankees slinked out of New England's living room and into a September-like evening wearing a hard-to-swallow 5-4 loss witnessed by 37,570, this was on their mind: Chris Sale starts for the AL East leaders late Saturday afternoon and possibly with the help of shadows.
Can a team that has dropped 19 of 26 and started a make-or-break 11-game road trip by absorbing a big punch below the belt find anything good about facing the best pitcher in the American League? ...
"It would have been really nice to win, but I don't think you can make too much of it," Girardi said. "I will wake up [Saturday] and I don't know if it will be sunny but the sun will come up."
And standing in the middle of the inferno will be Sale.
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