The1974New York Yankees season was the 72nd season for the team. The team finished second in theAmerican League East with a record of 89–73, two games behind theBaltimore Orioles inBill Virdon's first season as manager. The Yankees played atShea Stadium due to the ongoing renovation ofYankee Stadium. This was the first season in which the away uniforms featured white outlines on the numbers and the city name. This would stay with the team for the next 50 seasons until it was retired just before the 2024 season when the white outline was removed (at the suggestion of team captainAaron Judge) from the away jerseys, keeping the navy blue numbers.

The off-season became controversial whenGeorge Steinbrenner andGabe Paul sought to hire formerOakland Athletics managerDick Williams, who had resigned immediately after leading the team to its second straightWorld Series title. However, because Williams was still under contract to Oakland, A's ownerCharlie Finley sought to block the move, the subsequent legal wrangling prevented the Yankees from hiring him. On the first anniversary of the team's ownership change, the Yankees hired formerPittsburgh Pirates managerBill Virdon to lead the team on the field.

• December 6, 1973:Jim Mason was purchased by the Yankees from theTexas Rangers.^[1]
• December 7, 1973:Lindy McDaniel was traded by the Yankees to theKansas City Royals forLou Piniella andKen Wright.^[2]
• December 10, 1973:Hal Lanier was released by the Yankees.^[3]
• December 11, 1973:Ron Swoboda was released by the Yankees.^[4]
• January 9, 1974:Ken Phelps was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (11th pick) of the1974 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign.^[5]
• March 19, 1974:Jerry Moses was traded by the Yankees to theDetroit Tigers as part of a 3-team trade. TheCleveland Indians sentWalt Williams andRick Sawyer to the Yankees, and the Tigers sentEd Farmer to the Yankees. The Tigers sentJim Perry to the Indians.^[6]

• August 25, 1974:Nolan Ryan of theCalifornia Angels struck outSandy Alomar Sr. of the Yankees for the 1500th strikeout of his career.^[7] Ryan and Alomar had been teammates at the beginning of the season, but Alomar had been sold to the Yankees on July 8.
• September 7, 1974: The Yankees'Graig Nettles hit a home run against theDetroit Tigers. The next time up, he hit a broken-bat single. Tigers catcherBill Freehan scrambled for the sixsuperballs that came bouncing out. Nettles was called out on the single, but his solo homer was allowed and that made all the difference as the Yankees won 1–0.^[8]

Mickey Mantle and former teammateWhitey Ford were elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame together in 1974, Mantle in his first year of eligibility, Ford in his second. Ford's number 16 was retired as well. Although Ford wore number 19 in his rookie season, following his return from the army in 1953, he wore number 16 for the remainder of his career.

• April 26, 1974:Fritz Peterson,Steve Kline,Fred Beene, andTom Buskey were traded by the Yankees to theCleveland Indians forChris Chambliss,Dick Tidrow andCecil Upshaw.^[9]
• May 4, 1974:Mike Pazik and cash were traded by the Yankees to theMinnesota Twins forDick Woodson.^[10]
• May 31, 1974:Horace Clarke^[11] andLowell Palmer^[12] were purchased from the Yankees by theSan Diego Padres.
• June 5, 1974:Dennis Sherrill was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (12th pick) of the1974 Major League Baseball draft.^[13]
• June 15, 1974:Rudy May was purchased by the Yankees from theCalifornia Angels.^[14]
• July 8, 1974:Sandy Alomar Sr. was purchased by the Yankees from the California Angels.^[15]
• September 29, 1974:Jesús Figueroa was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees.^[16]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

• Bill Virdon,The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Oneonta^[17]

• 1974 New York Yankees at Baseball Reference
• 1974 New York Yankees team page at www.baseball-almanac.com

• New York Yankees seasons
• 1974 Major League Baseball season
• 1974 in sports in New York City
• 1970s in Queens

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