Aaron Boone graded his team as “incomplete” for the first half. Inadequate would be more accurate. Not good enough for sure. 

As the Yankee manager frequently points out — and reiterated on Sunday — “all the hopes and dreams are right there and still exist for us.” That’s true. The Yankees aren’t in the same position as the Rockies or White Sox. They possess enough talent in an American League that’s less competitive, making the possibility of winning a second consecutive pennant feasible.

However, this won’t be realized if the Yankees continue with their recent performance over the past seven weeks. The Yankees, after all, are not measured against the Rockies and White Sox. They are evaluated against their own history, payroll, and expectations. Their performance since late May in general and mid-June in particular makes qualifying for the playoffs a difficult task, regardless of how weakened the league might be.

The problem lies in the left side of their infield being a disaster. Their rotation and their bullpen, which lacks power hitters, both struggle with depth issues. Their offense, heavily reliant on home runs, can either score 10 or none, which explains why the Yankees could have the second-best run differential in the majors yet still underperform significantly.