After six straight losses and 10 in their last 11 games, the Yankees have had plenty of time to think about what’s caused them to go through such an ugly stretch.
For Mark Teixeira, there’s one consistent problem that bothers him the most.
“Teams are going to go through streaks where you’re not hitting, you’re not pitching, but we’re making way too many mental errors,” Teixeira said after the Rangers beat them 5-2 Sunday to complete a sweep at Yankee Stadium. “We’re playing way too sloppy out there. That’s what’s tough to see.”
Plays like Jose Pirela holding onto the ball too long on a relay from center on Prince Fielder’s first-inning RBI double that scored Shin-Soo Choo from first. Or Brett Gardner ill-advisedly trying to get to third with no one out in the bottom of the inning on a single to center by Chase Headley and being gunned down.
Those were just the latest in a series of mistakes that have plagued the Yankees throughout the course of their worst stretch of the young season. The six-game losing streak is their longest since May 2011.
“One mental error now and then is OK,” Teixeira said. “We seem to have two or three every night. Everyone needs to step it up mentally and figure out how to play the game again.”
And fast, since the Royals will bring the best record in baseball to The Bronx on Monday.
As for the Yankees, they fell to .500 (22-22).
There were, as usual, a number of culprits on Sunday, with Chris Capuano delivering another subpar pitching performance, the third straight shoddy outing by a starting pitcher, following Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia.
“That usually sets the tone of the game,” Girardi said. “You have to rely on the hitters sometimes to come back.”
That didn’t work, either.
The Rangers got a two-run homer from Adam Rosales in the top of the second to retake the lead and then added two more in the seventh when Justin Wilson gave up hits to all three batters he faced.
Although he gave up just two earned runs, Capuano couldn’t make it out of the fifth inning — forcing an overworked bullpen into early action after a pair of singles.
“My number one goal going into the game was to go deep into the game,” Capuano said. “And 4 ¹/₃ innings, I’ve got to be better.”
He was surprised to be taken out so quickly, but added: “I’m not going to second-guess Joe.”
Afterward, Girardi didn’t have any solutions and when asked if he was contemplating any changes, the manager bristled.
“I just walked in here,” Girardi said. “What do you want me to do? These guys have to get it done. These are our players and they have to get it done.”
That extends from the starting pitching, to the bullpen and, yes, the lineup.
After the Yankees scored a pair of runs on a Brian McCann hit in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead, the offense went back to sleep, with just one hit from the second until Garrett Jones’ single in the seventh.
They threatened in the eighth, getting two on before McCann flied to center to end it.
All the losing has left Gardner somewhat dumbfounded.
“What is it nine out of the last 10, 10 out of the last 11?” Gardner said of the recent stretch. “I’m starting to lose count now. We’ve got another game in 13 hours. We have to keep our heads up.”