The New York Yankees are stumbling at the worst possible time, and their season feels like it’s teetering on a cliff’s edge.
After losing six of their last seven games, they entered Saturday barely holding onto the final American League Wild Card spot, with the Cleveland Guardians lurking just a half-game behind.
Posada Speaks Before Old Timers’ Day
Before the Old Timers’ Day festivities at Yankee Stadium, Yankees legend Jorge Posada stopped to address the glaring struggles of the current roster.
The former All-Star catcher, known for his fierce competitiveness during his playing days, didn’t sugarcoat his message.
“They gotta get a little angry… they need to have a chip on their shoulder. You can’t be friends with everybody,” Posada said, per SNY via X.
“They gotta get a little angry…they need to have a chip on their shoulder. You can’t be friends with everybody.”
Jorge Posada to @ChelseaSherrod with his opinion on what the current Yankees need to change: pic.twitter.com/D7M01iXMrM
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 9, 2025
His words carried the weight of someone who knows exactly what it takes to win in the Bronx.
A Call for Fire and Grit
Posada’s frustration mirrors that of many fans who’ve watched a once-dominant team fade into mediocrity. He believes the Yankees need to shed their overly friendly image and start showing the grit required for October baseball.
Back in May, New York held a commanding seven-game lead in the AL East. Now, that cushion has evaporated, replaced by the grim reality of a late-season collapse.
Since mid-June, the Yankees have been one of the worst teams in baseball by record. Posada’s message is clear — talent alone isn’t enough.
The team must rediscover its edge, the same way a boxer needs that extra burst in the final rounds to survive the fight.
Managerial Approach Under Scrutiny
Some of Posada’s criticism appears indirectly aimed at manager Aaron Boone, who often prioritizes keeping players comfortable and involved.
While maintaining a positive clubhouse is important, the results suggest that happiness isn’t translating into wins.
The recent handling of the Devin Williams situation — where opportunity and urgency clashed — has only fueled the perception that this team lacks a killer instinct.
A team with a killer instinct won’t throw a pitcher in a tie game in the tenth inning when he has surrendered runs in each of his last five outings, for example.
Yankees No Longer Intimidating Opponents
Fellow Yankees legend Willie Randolph echoed Posada’s sentiment, warning that opponents no longer fear playing in the Bronx.
“Teams are not afraid of us anymore. We need to get that mojo back where they come to Yankee Stadium and they know they’re gonna be in for a big fight,” Randolph said.
For decades, a trip to Yankee Stadium meant facing a team that would grind down opponents until they broke.
Now, visiting teams smell opportunity instead of danger, and that shift in perception is as alarming as the standings themselves.
Urgency Is the Only Option
If the Yankees want to extend their season, the solution is not complicated but it is demanding. They must make sharper in-game decisions, execute in high-leverage moments, and above all, play with desperation.
Posada and Randolph have seen firsthand how quickly a season can slip away when urgency is absent.
Right now, the Yankees’ playoff fate is in their own hands — but the grip is loosening. One more stretch of uninspired baseball, and they’ll watch October from home instead of competing in it.
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