MIAMI — Two of the most important players in modern New York Yankees history, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, offered pointed critiques on the current state of their former club.
While on Fox’s broadcast of MLB’s Speedway Classic on Saturday, Jeter and Rodriguez were discussing whether the Yankees are built to win a World Series. This was on the heels of the Yankees getting shut out by the Miami Marlins and Jazz Chisholm Jr. making an egregious base-running blunder where he was doubled up at first base on a popup to the second baseman.
“They make way too many mistakes, way too many mistakes,” Jeter said. “You can’t get away making that number of mistakes against great teams. It just doesn’t happen. You can’t continue to do it. You have to clean it up. It’s that simple. There’s no excuses. If you don’t play better, you’re not going to go very far.”
Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz chimed in and said he believes the Yankees’ focus is “not there.” He added he thinks the Yankees are one of the best teams in the sport, but the optics of making simple mistakes like Chisholm’s reminded him of Game 5 of the World Series, when the Yankees played sloppily in the fifth inning. That’s when Rodriguez interrupted Ortiz.
