But after a third consecutive anemic performance by the team's veteran bats, it seems fair to wonder just how good this group really is.
The Yankees went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base, culminating in a dissapointing 7-1 loss to the Mariners Friday night in the Bronx.
The Yankees took a 1-0 edge in the first on Brett Gardner's first home run of the season, but looked hopeless from there -- squandering countless opportunities as the Mariners turned a close one into a blowout.
In the fourth, the Yanks had men on second on third with none out, but failed to break a 1-1 tie after Didi Gregorius, Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury all went down on strikes.
In the fifth, New York's first two hitters again reached base, but again, the next three up -- this time Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and Dustin Ackley -- blew the chance to make noise.
On the mound, right-hander Luis Severino pitched respectably, allowing four earned runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. But, as with Nathan Eovaldi on Thursday, he struggled the second turn through the order.
The Mariners evened things at one on Robinson Cano's RBI single in the fourth, and grabbed a 3-1 lead on Chris Ianetta's two-run shot an inning later.
Seattle then added individual runs in each of the last four frames, backing up Nathan Karns' five innings of one-run ball.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Yankees dropped their third straight game, having scored just 5 runs since Tuesday's win in Toronto. They are now 4-5 on the year, fourth in the AL East.
NEXT UP: The Yankees and Mariners will meet for a matinee on Saturday. CC Sabathia (1-0, 4.50 ERA) and Felix Hernandez (0-1, 0.69 ERA) are slated to be your starters, with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. ET.
