Yankees’ spiral worse than ‘rough patch’ after latest disaster defeat

This isn’t just a “rough patch,” as manager Aaron Boone occasionally calls it. No, this isn’t just a tough stretch.

This is a Yankees team that looks like it’s in trouble. If this team wants to get where it aims to go, it better start playing like a champion.

More to the point, it needs to wake up.

This is a squad full of solid, seasoned veterans and isn’t playing like it. The 5-3, 10-inning defeat to the hated rival Red Sox before a sellout crowd at the Stadium on Friday is a new low point in a gathering storm of them.

The two-out, two-strike, ninth-inning home run by Red Sox contact man Masataka Yoshida off Yankees closer Clay Holmes wasn’t even the lowlight. And neither was the two-run, game-winning home run by Ceddanne Rafaela an inning later.

In falling to 4-14 over their last 18 games, the Yankees made what likely goes down as the boneheaded play of the year — a double blunder you’re more likely to see in a high school game. And what’s worse, it followed a memorable miscue the day before (more on that below).

“We’ve got to play better than that,” Boone said afterward. “We’ve got to play clean baseball.”

Boone’s ability to spin everything to the positive finally lapsed — at least for a few minutes. This defeat was too full of miscues — there were also two fielding errors — to ignore the obvious. Boone was unemotional as he spoke but he made it clear the Yankees blew it on the bases (and elsewhere).

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He also suggested they need to start playing better. And soon.

“It’s a difficult time, and we’ve got to dig down … and find out what we’re made of,” he said.

Referring to Saturday’s early 1:05 start, Boone added, “We’ve got to turn the page quick.”

And what an ugly chapter this is.

With runners on first and third and the force play off after Red Sox first baseman Romy Gonzalez touched first for the second out after fielding Ben Rice’s grounder, Anthony Volpe inexplicably slowed up just before reaching home to watch D.J. LeMahieu run into the final out of the inning. Young Volpe ran like he didn’t understand the rule, but the ultra-experienced LeMahieu certainly should know to get himself into a rundown.

If manager Boone doesn’t want to take the drastic step of removing starting players while the team is shorthanded and struggling, it is high time he acknowledge the obvious. Spinning things to the positive may not always be the way to go.

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I get it, to a degree. Positivity for the players in the press has been a winning strategy for Boone. If this doesn’t work out for Boone, he could make it in politics. Or better yet, diplomacy.

I like Boone very much (and I’m not just being diplomatic) but it’s time to find words that fit the dire situation.

Boone continues be counted on to uncover the kindest way possible to describe every mistake and misplay. While it’s worked well for him — he’s in his seventh year managing the Yankees, the longest tenure in that chair without a championship — sometimes he’s too easy on his troops, which was also the case only the day before.

That’s where we may need to step in. A counterbalance is compelled. Reality needs to resurface. Unwashed honesty can be healthy. (Some more of that below.)

Boone raised the ire of some fans when he mostly gave a pass to Gold Glove backup center fielder Trent Grisham after Grisham’s obvious nonchalance cost the Yankees a base Sunday. (While fielding a single, the normally outstanding outfielder looked like me picking up the Post when it’s delivered at 6 a.m.) And even the day after, Boone continued to suggest the play didn’t look good because Grisham’s so talented and plays with such ease.

While his defensive talent is undeniable, it was also a shockingly bad play that deserved to be called out as such.

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“I try not to be so emotional because we lost some games or won some games,” Boone explained before Friday’s game. “I have the conversations I think are necessary.”

Give Boone this. On the biggest score, Boone did talk to Grisham, and he apparently told it to him straight. Anyway, Grisham got the message, which is what counts.

“I should have made the play,” Grisham told me, flat out.

Boone handled that one internally. But after yet another unfathomable play the very next night, it may be time to try something different.

Let’s try some more reality. They’re playing at a .222 clip since starting the slide in Boston three weeks ago, and they seem worse. They are still 18 games over .500. But they are headed south in a hurry, and the Red Sox are only happy to aid the drastic downturn.

Let’s face it, very little is going right beyond 1) Aaron Judge, who remains on a Babe Ruth-like pace, 2) Juan Soto, who isn’t that far off that pace, and 3) Gerrit Cole being back.

Boone often talks like this is just a minor blip. But it sure doesn’t feel that way.

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