The second half of the season has begun, but the Yankees’ offense looked a lot like the one they had in the first half of the season.

After Giancarlo Stanton’s two-run home run in the first inning, the New York Yankees went down quietly in a 7-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

The Yankees (49-43) led 2-0 after two batters, but managed only six hits the rest of the way and drew just one walk all night in Casey’s first game as hitting coach.

Instead it was the Rockies (35-57), owners of the third-worst record in the majors, who delivered the boom. 

Their offense, led by former Yankees assistant hitting coach Hensley Meulens, crushed three home runs — one off starter Carlos Rodon and two more off the bullpen.

The loss, coupled with the Red Sox’s win over the Cubs, moved the Yankees into a last-place tie in the AL East. It’s the first time since 1992 that the Yankees have been tied for last place this late in a season.

The All-Star break didn’t do the Mets much good. They opened the second half of the season with a total flop in a 6-0 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field.

Justin Verlander delivered another lackluster start — he walked a season-high six batters in just five innings — and the offense was nowhere to be found against Dodgers lefty Julio Urias.

Fittingly, it all played out on what looked like a burnt-out cow pasture thanks to a concert that took place during the break. There were swaths of dead grass behind the left side of the infield, as well as in left-center field.

The Mets’ third straight loss dropped them back to seven games under  .500 at 42-49 and left them seeming less likely to make a run at the postseason, with the trade deadline just over two weeks away. 

They now are eight games back in the wild-card race and a season-worst 19 ½ games back of Atlanta in the NL East.

The New York Jets will be featured on the upcoming season of HBO‘s annual NFL training camp series Hard Knocks.

The NFL and NFL Films have selected the New York Jets to serve as this year’s team on Hard Knocks. The cameras will be rolling in full force at the Jets training camp. 

The Jets have been the focus of the off-season, having acquired four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Green Bay Packers, as well as adding several notable free agents. New York is coming off a 7-10 finish in 2022, having missed the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year, but fielded a young, competitive roster expected to improve in 2023.