Bronx Bomber Ball

Coming off of a rough four game sweep of the division leading Boston Red Sox, the Yankees are looking to rebound against the Rays who are 21 games under .500. This will be the fourth and final series against Tampa Bay as the Yankees have gone 5-4 against them so far this season. The Yankees are coming into this series four games behind the second wild card spot. With October looming, a series win is crucial if the Yankees want to preserve any hopes of reaching the playoffs this season.

It's becoming painfully clear that the Yankees were overachieving for the last month or so. The rotation is nothing special, the bullpen (with the exception of a few pitchers) is an absolute disaster, and the offense is average, at best. The Yankees suffered yet another frustrating defeat at the hands of their longtime rivals this Friday in Boston. Losing their third straight, and fourth of their last five, the Yankees playoff chances are becoming more improbable by the day. The debilitating effects of yesterday's Joe Girardi-induced ninth inning implosion most likely had a detrimental impact on the Yankees performance in this one. Photo Credit: AP/Michael Dwyer