That four-day rain-out in Washington killed Yankee momentum

Two weeks ago, across the vast expanses of the Yankiverse, time itself ceased to flow.

As our heroes visited Washington, creating new Bryce Harper speculation, they were on a 10-2 run, closing on Boston. Then came four days of soggy nothingness. An off-day. A five-inning rain-out tie. Another rain-out. An off-day. Nothing. 

Ever since... a 5-4 record, second place, and shoddy work. 

The four-day snooze should have rejuvenated our pitching staff... but it didn't. CC Sabathia struggled out of the blocks against lowly KC. In fact, our rotation has boiled down to Luis Severino and a series of dice rolls. Yesterday, the notion of Domingo German facing Justin Verlander inspired little hope from the git-go, and the game seemed a done deal from the second inning onward, once Houston took a 3-0 lead.

The four-day snooze should have settled our bullpen... but it didn't. David Robertson is going through a particularly nasty stretch, as the so-called "circle of trust" has dwindled to a dot of delusion. In one wretched night, the Yankees scored 10 runs and still lost - certainly the worst defeat of the season. 

Last time we faced Houston, the Yankees lost game one and then stormed back to take the series. But that was before the four-game snooze. They are not the same team. 

Listen: It's far too early to panic and, frankly, what's the point? Neither the Yankees nor Boston will miss the post-season. One will win the division. The other will take the wild card. Done deal. But right now, we look like the third best team in the American League. Changes could be coming. 

With four-hits yesterday in Scranton, Clint Frazier looks like a player who simply cannot be denied. Meanwhile, Aaron Hicks continues to slide farther from the guy who looked so dominant early last year. Could Gardy move to CF and Frazier take over in LF? Or does Frazier get traded for a starting pitcher? Right now, he's being wasted in Triple A.

With two hits yesterday, did Didi Gregorius finally break out of his slump? Because his collapse has been so overwhelming lately that you almost start to reassess the possibilities of a Manny Machado trade. Through April, Didi looked like our longtime SS, maybe a future Yankee captain. In May, he's looked horrible. Would Baltimore take him as a centerpiece to a deal that brings Machado to NYC for three months? Last month, I'd been slapped across the face for writing such blaspheme. Now, anything could happen.

Finally, Greg Bird homered yesterday - a great omen. If Bird's bat has truly returned, he becomes the missing LH that neither Didi nor Hicks has provided lately. At the least, he should take pressure off of the others. But does that mean Tyler Austin completely disappears? Or does he get traded for a pitcher? (Another trade chip, Tyler Wade, has finally gotten hot in Scranton.)

Right now, the Yankees look like the AL's third best team... but they have more depth than Boston or Houston. Something is going to change. We have to get back to that winning state before the rain-outs.