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It shouldn’t be surprising anymore, but it’s still striking how all it takes is a play or two to totally shift the vibes around a team — at least from the outside.
If Anthony Volpe or Alex Verdugo make a play on Sunday that they have 99 percent of the time this season, the Yankees go into the All-Star break with a sweep of the Orioles, alone in first place in the AL East and their fan base riding high.
Instead, Volpe and Verdugo picked the worst possible time for a pair of rare defensive gaffes, the Orioles walked off with a win that gave them a one-game lead entering the break and the focus suddenly turned back to what an awful month it’s been for the Yankees.
The first half featured two very different stretches for the Yankees. Through June 14, their 50-22 record was the best in baseball. From June 15 to the break, their 8-18 record was the worst in baseball.