NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees hardly win anymore. They haven't won a series in nearly six weeks, losing eight of their past 10 while tying two others. They have been the worst team in baseball over that span, losers of 22 of their past 32 games. That's a .313 win percentage, which wouldn't win you the batting title, let alone a division.
Yet they believe sunshine is right around the corner -- maybe even starting in Seattle this weekend.
"I think we are poised to make a good, little run here," manager Joe Girardi said.
Maybe he is right. Maybe he is wrong, but this is what the Yankees are right now. They are 48-45 and on pace for 84 or 85 wins, which might be good enough for a wild card in the weak American League. But it isn't especially good. The Yankees are certainly due to play better.
They can't really play worse, and they just made a big deal, sacrificing some young talent to try to win this season. They picked up a new third baseman in Todd Frazier and two new relievers in David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle -- a go-for-it move from a sinking team.
The manager, not convincingly, said the Yankees have enough in the clubhouse already.
"I think all the tools are [in there]," Girardi said. "I do. We just have to play better."
The Yankees -- "careful buyers," in general manager Brian Cashman's words -- must be careful to not act in half-measures. To really justify sacrificing former first-rounders Blake Rutherford and Ian Clarkin, do the Yankees need to go get themselves a starter such as Sonny Gray from the Oakland A's?
It seems foolish to make significant trades in pursuit of a wild-card spot, and the Yankees definitely have their eyes on the division if Tuesday's deal with the White Sox is any indication. Not only did it fill a hole in the infield with Frazier, but it also deepened the bullpen, which, in theory, shortened the game for the starters.
However, is it enough for the Yankees to overtake the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, who are still two and four games ahead in the AL East?
Cashman will likely exhaust every option in trying to bring a top-of-the-line starter, such as Gray, who can help the Yankees try to win this year and going forward. There are concerns about whether Gray can stay healthy, but if the Yankees picked him up, he wouldn't be eligible for free agency until 2020. That's two-and-a-half years of value if he stays on the field.
The Yankees have already gone this far in trying to stop the tide, hoping that what they were for the first two-and-a-half months was real. They looked like the team to beat in the division before this extended slump. Their offense was the best in baseball, and their pitching was just good enough. Now, though, they've seemed to take turns lulling.
"We went through a little bit of difficult time," Girardi said. "This has been a tough schedule coming out of the break. I think we have played OK. I think we can play better. The tools are in there."
Not fully. The lineup, when it's at full strength, is strong. The bullpen, with three legit closer-quality relievers (Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances and Robertson) and three other emerging relievers (Kahnle, Adam Warren and Chad Green) is deep. The starters, however, offer little guarantees.
Masahiro Tanaka has been inconsistent at best, which has culminated in a 5.33 ERA. He has pitched well in three of his past four starts, but the Yankees will need more of that to have a real chance. CC Sabathia has been excellent but will turn 37 years old when he takes the mound Friday at Safeco. Luis Severino, an All-Star, seems to be stepping up to match his talent. Rookie Jordan Montgomery has been good, but he has never pitched a whole MLB season.
The fifth spot? Well, that is up for grabs. Luis Cessa is receiving the first opportunity, though no one can feel too confident yet.
That is why, if the Yankees are going for it, they probably need to go all the way. Gray might be the starter they need. The idea is to make trades to win divisions -- not just to sneak into Game 163. Can the Yankees really feel good standing down now?