Although Aaron Boone is among the most animated in-game managers in the MLB and has the ejections to show for it, New York Yankees fans have long wanted him to light a fire under his struggling team. Well, he refrained from the diplomacy following a 5-0 road loss against the Atlanta Braves that pushed the Yankees all the way back to .500 (60-60).

“We're scuffling our a***s off and we need to do better,” Boone said postgame Tuesday night, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. For many fans, the skipper has overstayed his welcome and will not be able to quell their rage with one blunt and impassioned press conference. They demand results, and fast. Though, Boone's visible change in demeanor at least illustrates a desperately-needed sense of urgency.

New York is in severe danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and finishing in last place in the American League East for the first time since 1990. The division was expanded back then and included the Milwaukee Brewers. In other words, baseball and the world has changed a lot since the Yankees were this low on the totem pole.

They are now an alarming six-and-a-half-games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final AL Wild Card slot. Aaron Judge has not played enough to carry the team to the postseason like he did in the second-half of last year. Gerrit Cole's Cy Young-caliber production has not spread to the rest of the unreliable starting pitching rotation. Big names like Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino have been detriments. The result is a woefully disappointing baseball team and embattled manager.

The only thing that portends a potential turnaround is the organization's unprecedented run of consistency. New York finds a way to get the job done, or at the very least avoid complete catastrophe. Another flop against the Braves indicates that this club is headed for some unpleasant history. A dissatisfied Aaron Boone may not be enough to stand in the way of that ignominy.