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The New York Yankees, fresh off a 99-win season, are now barely hanging on to a postseason spot.
Aaron Judge is hurt, as is their other big signing in lefty starter Carlos Rodon. Furthermore, the stars who are making the big bucks simply are just not playing close to the back of their baseball card.
As Yankee legend Yogi Berra once said, it's getting late early for the Bronx Bombers — but another isn't too worried just yet.
With 89 games left in the season, there's plenty of time to turn things around, says Derek Jeter.
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Baseball Hall of famer Derek Jeter speaks to the fans as he is honored by the New York Yankees before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 09, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Jeter mentioned how the Yankees got off to a historic start last season and were once on pace to win 120 games, which would have shattered the all-time MLB record — after starting 52-18, they went 47-45 in their final 92 games.
"They’re almost at the [All-Star] break, so there are a lot of games left," Jeter told FOX Sports. "I remember last year…when the Yankees had gotten off to the huge start that they had and they started comparing last year’s team to the ‘98 team. And I said, there’s a long way to go then, too."
Those 1998 Yankees are arguably the greatest team ever, winning 114 games in the regular season then sweeping the San Diego Padres to win the World Series.
But if things can go from overwhelmingly positive to disappointing in what seems like the snap of a finger, it could happen the other way, too.
"You never know what's going to happen over the course of a season. They’re just fine from a timing perspective, but I think it’s something they should take day to day," Jeter continued.
Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees celebrates following Game Four of the World Series against the San Diego Padres on October 21, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)
AARON JUDGE APPEARS TO BE RESPONDING TO SECOND PRP INJECTION TO RIGHT BIG TOE, YANKEES SAY
However, the Yankees are currently in their second-longest World Series drought in franchise history, having not won since 2009. Maybe to the average baseball fan, that's nothing, but in Yankee-land, that's an eternity.
Sure, New York has missed the postseason just three times since their last World Series, and have made it in six straight seasons, but that's not enough for the Yankees, says the former captain.
"I don’t think anyone in the Yankee organization is just gonna sit there and say, ‘Hey we just gotta get into the playoffs.’ I just think that’s the wrong mentality to have," he said.
"Our group made it look like it was easy to win. It’s not easy to win. A lot of things have to go your way in order to win. When we won in ‘96, it had been 18 years since they won. And then in 2000, it took us nine more years to win again. It’s difficult to do. I know Yankee fans are on edge, and they’re getting a little impatient, but that’s what makes it great playing in New York."
Derek Jeter #2 and Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees celebrate on the field after their 7-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
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Without the defending AL MVP in Judge, the Yankees are 10-14 this season. They are 31-19 when he plays, but the Yankees have refrained from giving a timeframe on when he'd return from his toe injury he suffered after banging his foot on concrete making a crazy catch in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
Jeter will make his debut with the FOX baseball broadcasting team during the London Series this weekend between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.