The New York Yankees are on a roller-coaster ride with their performances in the 2024 season. A team that looked dominant at the start seems to be in an excruciating downfall. Currently, the team sits at a .592 with a win-to-loss record of 58-40. Though, at the start of June, the Yankees were on a horrendous 50-22 run. In July, the team got some respite when they won the series against the Baltimore Orioles. However, because of an insurmountable number of injuries, most players are struggling big-time.

Most importantly, their relief pitchers Nick Burdi and Lou Trivino will return by the end of July or the start of August. Even more, Anthony Rizzo’s absence from the team leaves holes in the first baseman position. What’s more? Juan Soto is dealing with forearm discomfort, hampering his hitting capabilities. Eventually, tackling every critic over the internet, Yankees veteran Nestor Cortes expressed his raw thoughts in X. 

Yankees Nestor Cortes expressed his love for the Yankees

Questions about the team’s performance were raised after the New York Yankees’ 9-19 bad run. However, battling all the critic queries, Nestor Cortes said, “Everyone talks down about the Yanks, but they wanna be us. It’s a privilege to wear pinstripes. Every year, we are in contention. I’m blessed to be able to compete for a playoff spot and always be contenders at the end.” Indeed, a team that has won 27 World Series, they know how to come back stronger. However, June and July have probably not been great for the team and fans. Their offense was criticized, especially when the team lost a series against the Boston Red Sox.

In July, the team ranked 19th in runs; compared to April, when they used to rank in the top 10. Also, even in their pitching department, the Bronx has lost its momentum. They had an impressive ERA of 3.22 in April, followed by May, which was the league’s best at 2.37! However, as June came, it bumped up to 5.27 due to their ongoing losses and later came down to an ERA of 3.63 in July. 

Also, the Bronx has been blown away 10 times in the 2024 season. Out of which, six instances came after June 12. However, if we visualize the big picture, the Yankees are still in contention despite their struggles. Nestor Cortes, who’s been playing with the Yankees since 2019, has made three out of four playoffs. However, soon after Cortes tweeted on X, a social media war started amongst the fans. 

Some with the Yankees, some against, fans are ablaze on social media

Amidst the heated argument on social media after Nestor Cortes tweeted in support of the Yankees, a fan said, “Unfortunately, being in contention every year isn’t the goal. You guys gotta win more than once in 15 years to talk about jealousy.” The last time the New York Yankees won the World Series was in 2009. At that time, legend Derek Jeter was the captain, and the team won against the Philadelphia Phillies. Since then, there has been a trophy drought for the Pinstripes. 

While mocking Nestor Cortes on the All-Star game, another fan wrote, “Stop ripping lines and wishing you were at the all star game.” The 2024 All-Star game was held on the 16th of July, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Although Cortes’s other teammates, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, were called for the mega event, Cortes was not there. It all depends on the fan’s voting and which superstar they like to see for the All-Star game. 

Additionally, on the Yankees playoff dilemma of every year, a fan went on saying, “The Yankees are the Cowboys of the MLB. Great regular season every year, ton of hype driven from the media & an early playoff exit. Rinse, repeat.” The Yankees missed playoffs in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2023, but the team has qualified in every other edition. However, despite being in the playoffs and having superstars in their team, they have failed to capitalize and bag a recent World Series title. 

Further, targeting the New York Yankees 2023 playoff spot again, another fan said, “But what about last year.” In the 2023 season, the Yankees were showing good improvement. But they went on to a 3-game losing streak, making their PCT below .500. This enabled the Baltimore Orioles to get the top AL East position, making way for the Bronx Bombers to exit from the playoff spot.

However, one Yanks fan supported and bashed the team at the same time: “While true, this doesn’t excuse the team’s recent performance.” Indeed, the Yankees are going through a lean patch. Their pitching struggle is real, and even with the return of Gerrit Cole in pitching, the Yanks are constantly faltering in the latter innings. Adding to the woes, Anthony Volpe’s blunder denied the Yankees to sweep the series against the Orioles.

As the World Series comes closer, the MLB will only get fiercer. Right now, the Yankees are just one game behind the Orioles, who are sitting at a PCT of .604. Perhaps, the Yankees will play against the Tampa Bay Rays on 20th July 2024. Still, there’s a 3-day rest, and if the team can fix their pitching and offense woes, they have the firepower to clinch the number one spot from the Baltimore Orioles.