C-Mac: Yankees lineup construction means nothing if Aaron Judge, Juan Soto aren't performing

The Yanks were blanked by Seth Lugo and the Royals on Tuesday night, hours after many Yankee fans celebrated the team trotting out a lineup that looked like a strong candidate to be the starting nine in the playoffs.

Even with that lineup, the Bombers were shut out for the eighth time this season, managing just three hits against Lugo and striking out 10 times over seven innings.

Chris McMonigle says Tuesday’s quiet offensive night by the Yanks shows that the lineup construction is basically moot if the big bats in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto aren’t leading the way, which they haven’t been in recent weeks.

“We can scream and yell about lineup construction and that DJ LeMahieu can’t be on this team…but the bottom line is, your best players have to perform, and what your strength is has to be your strength,” C-Mac said.

“We scream and cry about how the Yankees have to be all in because they have Juan Soto and we don’t know how long that’s gonna be…and how many more years can you allow the prime of Aaron Judge to fade into failure? While those are all valid arguments, here’s the bottom line: if the Yankees are gonna win, sure, I want Jasson Dominguez in the lineup…this lineup is predicated on the success of their stars, and right now, they’re not it.”

Both Judge and Soto have fallen into late-season slumps, and while they are still two of the top three candidates for American League MVP, C-Mac needs to see the stars carry the Yanks to a division crown and through October, or else the Yankees are doomed for another early playoff exit.

“[Judge] hasn’t hit a home run in 12 games. Both of them, over their last 50 at-bats, are hitting .200,” C-Mac said.

“It doesn’t work if Judge and Soto aren’t the driving force...this team is not going to be the one that gets them back to the World Series for the first time since 2009 if Judge and Soto don’t perform.”