The struggling New York Yankees are looking to turn things around in the American League East as they face a string of home games, starting with a matchup against the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The Yankees have had a tough time on the road, losing seven consecutive games coming out of the All-Star break.
Returning to Yankee Stadium might not guarantee success, though, as the team has faced its share of challenges at home as well. The Yankees’ offense has been lackluster lately, and they made a coaching change, replacing hitting coach Dillon Lawson with Sean Casey. However, the change hasn’t produced the desired results, as the team has struggled to bat effectively, recording a .210 batting average and striking out 62 times in six games since the switch.
Manager Aaron Boone admitted to the team’s struggles, emphasizing the need for improvement. The absence of star slugger Aaron Judge due to injury has further impacted the Yankees’ performance, and the supporting cast has failed to step up consistently.
While Gleyber Torres has been in good form with a 10-game hitting streak, players like Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo have been struggling at the plate. Stanton has a batting average of .167 since the break, and Rizzo hasn’t hit a home run since May 20.
The Royals, who are the second team to reach 70 losses, will face the Yankees after a series of disappointing performances. They have struggled offensively, being shut out 12 times this season and held to four hits or fewer 20 times.
The series opener will see the Yankees’ right-hander Clarke Schmidt on the mound, coming off a solid performance against the Colorado Rockies. He’ll be facing Royals rookie right-hander Alec Marsh, who is looking to bounce back after a couple of tough outings.
Both teams will be aiming to find their form and put on a better show for their fans during the upcoming games. Friday night’s opener will start at 6:05, with pregame at 5:30 on KTTN AM 1600 and FM 92.3. Saturday’s game is at 12:05, with Sunday’s contest at 12:35 from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Photo credit – Wikimedia Commons / vtravelled.com and Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 / Bronx, NY
