Aaron Boone hopes Yankees have hit 'rock bottom' after 'embarrassing' blowout loss to Rays

The New York Yankees once held a double-digit games lead atop the AL East. However, they've hit a seemingly endless rough patch since the MLB trade deadline. 

The Yankees fell to 9-19 since Aug. 2, suffering their fifth loss over their last five games Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.  

After a humiliating 9-0 shutout loss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone voiced his frustrations over the team's play as of late. 

"That's an embarrassing loss," Boone told reporters. "Hopefully, one of those rock-bottom situations, where you should be pissed off and embarrassed."

While Boone didn't attribute the Yankees' struggles to a lack of effort, he said the team wasn't meeting the organization's standards. 

"I do think the effort's there, I think the care is there," Boone said. "But we've set a much better standard in that room that we've got to start living up to."

Friday's outburst wasn't the first time Boone has shown emotion after a loss this season. In late August, Boone slammed his hand down on the podium during his after-game press conference following a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. 

The Yankees still lead the AL East with a 79-53 record, but their lead in the division has shrunk considerably over the second half of the season. The Rays are the closest division foe to the Yankees, sitting five games behind heading into Saturday's action.