Pedro Martinez questions Yankees' effort: 'Don't seem to have the energy of a winning team'

Jesse Yomtov | USA TODAY

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When a team has a chance at 100 wins, there's usually not much anxiety surrounding the season. That's not the case for the 2018 New York Yankees.

The Yankees have the second-best record in baseball at 79-46 through Tuesday, but trail the Boston Red Sox by eight games in the American League East. Unless their rivals suffer a historic collapse, the Yankees are heading for the wild-card game.

Despite being one of the best teams in the league, the Yankees have not been without their detractors this season. The pitching staff has been inconsistent and injuries have exposed the team's lack of depth.

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Baseball Hall of Famer and Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez offered his take on Tuesday, tweeting that the Yankees "don't seem to have the energy of a winning team" and "they don't seem to be hustling out there."

The Yankees don’t seem to have the energy of a winning team. I understand some key players are injured, but they don’t seem to be hustling out there. — Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) August 22, 2018

The Yankees and Red Sox were tied for the division lead on July 1, but Boston has caught fire and opened up a lead as large as 10 ½ games.

Motivation has been a question mark surrounding the team, particularly following a four-game sweep at Fenway Park earlier this month that effectively ended the division race.

Still, it's unclear what specifically Martinez is referring to. Since that series in Boston, the Yankees have gone 12-4 and won their last four.

The lineup is currently without regulars Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius.

Since baseball went to a divisional format in 1969, only three teams have won 100 games and finished second in the division.

Most recently, the Oakland Athletics won 102 games in 2003 – finishing 14 games behind the Seattle Mariners, who tied the all-time record with 116 wins.