BOSTON — Nearly every day Aaron Judge does something to amaze. Both Judge and Juan Soto are performing beyond even enormous expectations.
But ultimately, they will still need help. We know that, and they do, too.
Judge and Soto are nearly the modern-day version of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It’s quite a show, really it is.
Judge on Saturday threw a ball from center field 97 mph, and he did that without a hint of momentum. From deep center field, he nearly threw out Masataka Yoshida at home.
Then on Sunday, Judge hit a ball 114 mph with a 45-degeree launch angle, which seems impossible. Well, the impossible ball pierced the sky before flying over the Green Monster in left field.
As for the amazing Soto, his 11-game streak of reaching base at least twice finally ended Sunday when he walked only once. That’s hard to do, harder when the streak surrounds a three-day respite for an elbow issue.
These two guys are incredible. But even with them both performing like co-MVPs, after a second straight loss to the Red Sox the Yankees’ lead is down to 1 ½ games over the scrappy and talented Orioles, who come to The Bronx Tuesday to start a series with a chance to take over first place in the American League East, baseball’s best division. The Orioles have some starting pitching injury issues that might make things tough on them in the long run, but they are now tied with the Yankees in the loss column.
They O’s are far from a pushover. They even hold a few edges.
The Orioles possess a deeper lineup, and much deeper roster of position players.
They have youthful enthusiasm.
They have momentum, too, coming off a game where they crushed Zack Wheeler, maybe baseball’s best pitcher until Gerrit Cole returns (which we think will be soon) and took a series from the Phillies, the best team in the National League, such as it is.
The Yankees had a big contingent of fans here at Fenway Park, but the second straight sellout crowd mostly enjoyed the Red Sox’s second straight victory over baseball’s thought-to-be best team. The 36,718 fans were treated to another fine performance by their young and hungry team, which stole a franchise-record nine bases and outlasted the Yankees 9-3 despite Judge’s sky-high, first-inning home run.
The 50-24 Yankees probably remain baseball’s best, but just a couple cracks are starting to show.
The nine steals seemed to come out of nowhere. But that’s a lot (the last time the Red Sox stole even eight was 1940). This could be a blueprint for some others.
“We have to do a better job of controlling those things,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I have a lot of confidence in us controlling the running game. Today we didn’t get it done.”
The old staple “Yankees suck,” broke out after the record ninth steal, and for once it seemed appropriate.
There are finally a few worries for one of the rare times this terrific season.
Gleyber Torres isn’t hitting again. He homered in Kansas City but came here and came up empty (0-for-11). Sometimes he seems to fall into a pull-happy mode, and that may be what’s happening here.
DJ LeMahieu is hitting even worse. LeMahieu, a two-time batting champion, still can’t get over the Mendoza Line.
Anthony Rizzo is showing positive signs lately, but had to leave the game after colliding with Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino while reaching on a throwing error by Red Sox first baseman Dom Smith. Rizzo has a lower-arm injury and was obviously in quite a bit of pain. If Rizzo has to miss time, that further weakens a corner-infield situation that’s already iffy.
When Rizzo reached, the Yankees had the bases loaded and nobody out, and were trailing only 4-3 in the seventh. They had a clear chance to take the first lead since Judge’s moon-shot homer. However, Torres had a brutal at-bat, striking out after getting ahead in the count 3-0.
When Jose Trevino struck out and LeMahieu, who hit a laser to center, lined out, the rally was over.
Boone praised LeMahieu’s at-bat but conceded of the player who only recently returned and is hitting .188, “He’s not all the way there.”
The bullpen, which generally is solid, allowed five insurance runs. Word is, the Yankees will focus on pen help at the deadline, which makes sense since the rotation is excellent (and about to get better with Cole) and they have established stars and former stars populating a glitzy lineup that has produced overall, even if it is a tad top heavy.
The Yankees still have the most dynamic duo going. And maybe that can carry them. Soto and Judge are one and two in the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs created, adjusted batting wins and times on base.
They can’t do much more. But they can’t do it alone. The belief here is they will need a little more help, certainly more than they got here in Boston.
