Sometimes you've just got to tip your cap and call the Yankees ... pint-sized dogs.
New York lost its fourth straight game Tuesday night, getting one-hit by the Atlanta Braves in a 5-0 defeat that dropped the team to 60-60 on the season. Manager Aaron Boone's club is just 15-24 since July 1 and owns the franchise's worst record at this point in the season since 1995.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Yankees entered the season as a legitimate World Series contender, and their fall from grace is one of most surprising developments of the season. Following New York's latest defeat, former Boston Red Sox ace and TBS studio analyst Pedro Martinez used quite the analogy to sum up the Bronx Bombers' struggles.
"I remember watching the Yankees earlier in the season," Martinez said. "When they were going well, they looked so confident. It was like watching a bulldog beat up on a chihuahua when they were playing those teams. And now, they look like the chihuahuas to any other team, especially a good team like the Atlanta Braves. It looks like no match."
Martinez had his fair share of battles with the Yankees during his seven seasons with the Red Sox, so we'd imagine he's deriving at least a little pleasure from New York's struggles. He makes a fair point, however: After going 45-36 over their first 81 games, the Yankees appear to have lost their mojo over the past two-plus months.
Boston Red Sox
Find the latest Boston Red Sox news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
"I don't know what it is, if it's a confidence matter that they have inside that clubhouse -- is it a character matter that they have?" Martinez said. "But man, they shouldn't look this vulnerable."
While the Red Sox have endured some frustrating stretches this season and sit three games out of an American League Wild Card spot, they can take solace in the fact that they're not the Yankees, who are 3.5 games behind Boston ahead of the AL East rivals' upcoming series this weekend.