The New York Yankees dropped another game on Sunday, falling 7-1 to the Houston Astros in a performance that left the home crowd restless and the standings even more concerning. Aaron Judge isn’t hiding his frustration, and Aaron Boone’s latest comments didn’t sit quite right with him. The captain openly disagreed with his manager’s postgame assessment—a rare public split between the team’s two most prominent voices during one of the most critical points of the season.
The loss marked New York’s seventh defeat in its last nine games, cutting their once-comfortable division lead into a 6.5-game deficit behind the surging Toronto Blue Jays.
They still hold the American League’s third Wild Card spot (barely), but the vibe isn’t exactly playoff-caliber.
Judge Disagrees With Boone’s “Feeling It” Comment
Following Sunday’s loss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that his players might be “feeling it” during this rough stretch—a reference to the mental and emotional weight of the slump. He has gone just 3-for-15 without an extra-base hit since returning on August 5, falling well short of his typical production.
“We’re just not playing good baseball,” Judge said, per SNY. “I wouldn’t say guys are ‘feeling it’ … we have a tough group in here. It does not feel good losing.”
Judge didn’t stop there. He made it clear this isn’t about mental fatigue—it’s about execution.
“We’re not doing our job; we’re not doing the little things that put ourselves in position to win baseball games,” he added. “It’s going to take all of us … I wouldn’t say the confidence has really changed.”
The comments are striking because Judge isn’t in the business of calling out his teammates or undermining his manager. But for a team spiraling in August, the captain’s bluntness feels like a calculated push to shift the conversation away from psychology and toward accountability.
A Team Running Out of Time
Judge’s willingness to return from the injured list earlier this month—after suffering a right flexor strain in late July—speaks to his urgency. It’s not hard to wonder whether he’s close to 100%, but Judge has decided his presence in the lineup matters more than waiting to heal.
With only 44 games remaining, New York’s margin for error is shrinking. The Yankees are set to open a three-game series at home against the Minnesota Twins, and they’ll need more than platitudes to claw back into the AL East race. The division is slipping away, and even the Wild Card is no guarantee if this slump drags on.
Boone’s loyalty to his players and belief in their resilience have been a hallmark of his tenure, but Judge’s comments suggest the clubhouse knows belief alone isn’t enough. Execution, fundamentals, and urgency—those are the captain’s talking points.
If the Yankees turn this season around, this moment may be remembered as the one when Judge put his foot down and demanded more. If not, it will be another chapter in a season that began with championship dreams and now hangs in the balance.
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