As the 2023 MLB season heads for the All-Star break, the New York Yankees reached a new low. They lost a three-game series to a lousy Chicago Cubs at their home turf in the Bronx. The struggling offense took the most blame as they failed to turn up in the first and final game.
With that, the Yanks have slipped to fourth in the AL-East division, a game below Toronto Blue Jays while barely maintaining above .500. This is the first time since May that the team has fallen out of the playoff race. Having said that, there’s still a large chunk of the season left for the Yankees to recover. But to bring that dream into reality, it needs some major overhaul, and the stepping stone for that was put on Sunday.
Yankees Part Ways With Hitting Coach Dillon Lawson Amid Alarming Collapse
The chorus for a change in the Yankee’s top brass has stayed loud and clear since the start of the season. The fans knew the coaching staff was not capable of ensuring success with this set of players. Moreover, as the season progressed, the fan’s worst fears came true as the offense collapsed completely to put the team out of playoff contention. However, Yank’s general manager, Brian Cashman, has a reputation for showing blind faith in its staff. But the situation got so worse that Cashman had to break his tradition. On Sunday, the Yankees officially fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson as a result of a long-withstanding offensive struggle.
Dillon Lawson came on board with the Yankees in 2021 when he replaced Marcus Thames. However, his ride with the team has not been the smoothest. Speaking of this season, he failed to help the veterans with their slump. But the final straw was Anthony Volpe’s chicken parm revelation. Apparently, Lawson failed to pick up Volpe’s shortcomings which he discovered himself while having dinner with his friends. All things combined led to the inevitable. Meanwhile, the Yankees are yet to announce a replacement. As per early reports, the team has narrowed down two names. General manager Brian Cashman confirmed that the new face would come from outside the organization, which would help produce a different outlook. Also, the Bombers expect the new coach to join by the next series against Colorado on July 15.
Brian Cashman Issues Statement After Firing Hitting Coach
After pulling off a mega move, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman came forward to address the situation. In a brief written statement, Cashman conveyed that while he has been reluctant to change in the past, it became the need of the hour. He further added that a new voice in the clubhouse would certainly help the hitting operations perform to the best of their capabilities in the crucial second half of the season.
At the same time, Cashman also expressed gratitude to Dillon Lawson for his services and efforts. All said and done, now the main question is, will a change in top brass lead to a change in fortune for the Yankees? As the second half commences in a week, the team has an impossible task at their helm, which is to win each and every game, that too without their captain, Aaron Judge. While the optimism within the camp is good, the reality is disturbing.