The New York Yankees are once again, beating themselves at the game of baseball.
Last night, the Yankees committed four fielding errors, three of which, came in the first inning of the ballgame. They had their ace, Cam Schlittler on the mound, who only managed to pitch 4.1 innings after four runs were tacked on by the Tampa Bay Rays.
As the Yankees try and focus on staying alive now that the series has moved to the Bronx, there’s a reminder from the Dodgers during 2024 World Series that should be ringing throughout the dugout.
“The Yankees are talent over fundamentals.”
Los Angeles Dodgers 2024 World Series New York Yankees Scouting Report Resurfaces
The day after the Dodgers hoisted the 2024 World Series trophy at Yankee Stadium, MLB insider Joel Sherman revealed how the Dodgers scouting report accurately predicted that the Yankees would find a way to beat themselves, so long as they put the ball in play.
“What the Dodgers told their players in scouting meetings was the Yankees were talent over fundamentals,” Sherman wrote. “That if you run the bases with purpose and aggression, the Yankees will self-inflict harm… That the value was very high to put the ball in play to make the Yankees execute.”
Game 5 is infamous amongst Yankees fans for their three-error fifth inning, that completely shifted the momentum of the game.
History repeats itself during the Yankees must win Game 2 in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“They mentioned that the Yankees were not just the majors’ worst baserunning team by every metric, but the difference was vast on the field between them and the Padres,” Sherman continued. “They said their metrics had the Yankees as the worst positioned outfield. They were amazed how many times relay throws came skittering through the infield with no one taking charge and how often Jazz Chisholm Jr., for example, was out of place or just standing still when a play was in action.”
ESPN’s Jorge Castillo furthers this narrative by explaining that in the Yankees were unable to chase down the Rays for the AL East title, but all they needed to do was play three games of clean baseball to win this series.
Understandably, this 2026 Yankees team is different than the 2024 team, but somethings get passed on when there has been no real change.
MLB World Reacts to New York Yankees Error-Filled Loss vs. Rays
Here’s what people are saying on social media:
Max Mannis: Remember when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the World Series and said their scouting report was just to play baseball and the Yankees will beat themselves? Two years later, sure seems like the Rays had the same exact scouting report.
Darius Glover: Dodgers laid out a blueprint of how to beat the New York Yankees, that remains true 3 years later.
Ryan Garcia: The Dodgers spent the entire 2024 season taking pot shots at the Yankees and mocking how easy it was to beat them with balls in play and they promptly responded by embarassing themselves defensively in a must-win game just two years later.
Nick Stellini: When a team folds over and over again because they can’t execute fundamentals in crucial spots, it’s a mentality problem. It’s a coaching problem. And the Yankees have never addressed it. It makes you wonder if the top decision-makers care enough to address it.
Stanzo: The Yankees are now 0-11 in their last 11 road playoff games against non AL Central opponents. Last win was 2019 ALCS Game 1 in Houston. They just legit never rise to the occasion man.
Chris Kirschner: Through 12 innings of this series for the Yankees: Hits: 1 Baserunners: 3 Errors: 3
Yankees Under Fire as Dodgers’ 2024 Warning Resurfaces in Rays Series