ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Yankees looked like a cross between the Bad News Bears (sans Kelly Leak) and the early-season Mets. 

In the biggest game of the year, a game franchise icon Derek Jeter labeled on Fox “a must-win game,” the Yankees played their worst game of the year. They barely gave themselves a chance against the mistake-free Rays. 

The Yankees committed three errors in an abomination of a first inning and four overall on their way to a 5-2 defeat that left them on the doorstep of playoff elimination. Things got a bit less embarrassing (how could they not?), but they simply don’t look together enough against the American League’s best squad. 

“Obviously, a really rough night for us, to say the least,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Tonight was not good enough for us and certainly not good enough to beat that club.”