The New York Yankees have been in a prolonged slump and the team didn't get off to a hot start in the month of August, either. Following Sunday's 7–3 defeat at loanDepot Park, the Yankees were swept by the Marlins for the first time ever.

New York has not only seen its comfortable AL East lead slip, but they've even fallen into third place in the division behind the rival Red Sox. They're currently clinging onto a wild card spot by two games as teams continue to close the cap.

Following the humbling sweep in Miami, Aaron Boone spoke to reporters and addressed the team's current woes. He used three words to describe the situation, telling reporters it's "gut check time" for the Yankees as they embark on the final two months of the campaign, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

As Hoch noted, the Yankees are 25-32 since the end of May and have been swept three times during that span, including twice against division rivals in Boston and Toronto. As the season continues to crumble, Boone is hoping his team can find the mindset needed to overcome their struggles and turn things around down the stretch.

The injury to Aaron Judge certainly makes things more difficult, but there's plenty to criticize about this Yankees team, in particular their lack of focus on defense and on the base paths. If they can't clean up their sloppy play, things may continue to get worse in the Bronx.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Aaron Boone Had Three Words to Describe Yankees' Mindset After Being Swept by Marlins.

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