SAN DIEGO — If you can’t slug, there’s little hope of reaching the Promised Land of postseason success.
The Yankees are 29th in the majors in slugging percentage at .367, only the Marlins are worse at .333. The Mets are 25th at .378. This is a New York City power outage.
The Yankees have so many issues such as CC Sabathia blowing up again in an ugly 7-2 loss to the Padres Friday night at Petco Park, but you can put the lack of slugging ability at the top of the list.
On this perfect night for baseball before a sellout crowd of 44,124, the punchless Yankees managed just six singles and a double against starter Andrew Cashner and the Padres bullpen.
Since 1995 when the Yankees returned to playoff prominence, the AL pennant winner has pretty much been a top-tier slugging percentage team. That is the way life in the DH-League. If you don’t have power, you don’t have a chance.
If the Yankees don’t correct that problem they are destined for failure for years.
They are Bronx Bombers in name only.
“The Yankees look like they are going to be in trouble for at least three seasons,’’ one MLB talent evaluator told the Post. “They just don’t have enough stars anymore.’’
Injuries have taken their toll, especially with Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira being injured this season. Granderson returned from his second broken bone this year and went 0-for-4, but this is not just about injuries. It’s too easy to say the Yankees woes are simply because of injuries.
The Yankees have made some bad decisions as an organization, decisions that are coming back to haunt them as they have tried to lower the payroll.
This is about a change in philosophy. In the last year the Yankees let some key bats get away like Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Russell Martin and did not find solid replacements and then with the injuries they have suffered, the power collapse became complete. Two outfield positions are manned by singles’ hitters Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki.
Then, of course, there is the “pink elephant’’ in the room, Alex Rodriguez. The backup power plan at third base blew up in the Yankees’ face when Kevin Youkilis went down with a back injury, ruining Brian Cashman’s new blueprint.
This is not just about home runs, but the Yankees only have 91 of them, 24th in the majors. They are next to last in the league in doubles too with 155. Only the Marlins have fewer doubles. They have 141. The Yankees are 25th in on-base percentage with a .303 mark.
Look at the top three slugging teams this year in the MLB and you see how difficult a climb it is going to be for the Yankees, who are 8 1/2 games back of the Red Sox and four games back of Baltimore in the wild card.
The top three are the Orioles (.441), Tigers (.439) and Red Sox (.438). Most disconcerting is the fact the pitching-rich Rays are changing the ways they do business and are trying for more power — they are eighth in the majors with a .418 slugging percentage. Add some slug to that pitching staff and you have the makings of an AL East monster.
The Yankees will have to find a way to add power after the season. There are no guarantees that Teixeira will come back strong and remain healthy next season. Teixeira will be 34. Granderson is a free agent so there are no guarantees he will even return.
They only can hope that Granderson’s return to the lineup will eventually energize the moribund offense.
“We’ve seen what he’s done since he’s been here,’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “This is a big power threat. We’re excited to have him back. We just have to keep him. It lengthens out lineup.’’
Granderson is only one piece of the puzzle, though.
Yes, Sabathia continues to be a terrible problem, but it is the lack of slugging that will sink this team.