Aaron Boone angers Yankee fans by suggesting that team controls their own playoff destiny

After a tough 5-8 stretch in the month of July, manager Aaron Boone's New York Yankees find themselves in quite the bind. With a record of 50-44, the team is now in the last place in the AL East.

The strife that the team is experiencing was brought to a head on Monday night in LA. Despite getting ahead to an early lead, and riding Luis Severino for six innings, things began to unravel quick for the Bronx Bombers.

After Shohei Ohtani pumped his league-best 35th home run of the season to tie the game in the seventh, Michael Stefanic hit an RBI single in the bottom of the tenth to seal the win for the Angels.

"Michael Stefanic and the Angels walk off the Yankees!" - Talkin' Baseball

For the Yankees, the loss to the Los Angeles Angels was a stinging one. With three games seperating the two teams in the AL Wild Card race, the Yankees' playoff hopes appear to be dwindling. In an apparent attempt to assuage the fanbase, Aaron Boone offered some words of reassurance.

""We very reasonably control our own destiny to get into the playoffs." -Aaron Boone" - Talkin' Yanks

Following the game, Aaron Boone claimed that the team is in full control of their own destiny, suggesting that they can make the postseason if they will themselves to do so. Fans, however, do not feel exactly the same way.

Now nine whole games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, Boone and the Yankees can all but wave goodbye to any hope of winning the division for a second straight season.

Since losing Aaron Judge to injury in early June, the Yankees have been a shell of themselves. Hitting just .225 as a team since June 20, high profile names like Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton are currently in the throes of the worst slumps of their careers.

Aaron Boone's words may be encouraging, but have little basis in reality

Every fanbase wants to believe, regardless of evidence, that they have a shot at making the playoffs, and potentially more. Aaron Boone knows that he has the talent to make it to the postseason, however, his team is not playing like an October club. As much as the New York Yankees may be able to control their hitting, they will need to control it much better if they want their manager's words to come to fruition.