Thehistory of the New York YankeesMajor League Baseball (MLB) team spans more than a century.Frank J. Farrell andWilliam Stephen Devery bought the rights to anAmerican League (AL) club in New York City after the1902 season. The team, which became known as theYankees in 1913, rarely contended for the AL championship before the acquisition ofoutfielderBabe Ruth after the1919 season. With Ruth in thelineup, the Yankees won their first AL title in 1921, followed by their firstWorld Series championship in 1923. Ruth andfirst basemanLou Gehrig were part of the team'sMurderers' Row lineup, which led the Yankees to a then-AL record 110 wins and a Series championship in 1927 underMiller Huggins. They repeated as World Series winners in 1928, and their next title came under managerJoe McCarthy in 1932.
The Yankees won the World Series every year from 1936 to 1939 with a team that featured Gehrig and outfielderJoe DiMaggio, who recorded arecord hitting streak during New York's 1941 championship season. New York set a major league record by winning five consecutive championships from 1949 to 1953, and appeared in the World Series nine times from 1955 to 1964.Mickey Mantle,Yogi Berra, andWhitey Ford were among the players fielded by the Yankees during the era. After the 1964 season, a lack of effective replacements for aging players caused the franchise to decline on the field, and the team became a money-loser for ownersCBS while playing in an agingstadium.
George Steinbrenner bought the club in 1973 and regularly invested in new talent, usingfree agency to acquire top players. Yankee Stadium was renovated and reopened in 1976 as the home of a more competitive Yankees team. Despite clubhouse disputes, the team reached the World Series four times between 1976 and 1981 and claimed the championship in 1977 and 1978. New York continued to pursue their strategy of signing free agents into the 1980s, but with less success, and the team eventually sank into mediocrity after 1981. In the early 1990s, the team began to improve as their roster was rebuilt around young players from their minor league system, includingDerek Jeter andMariano Rivera. After earning a playoff berth in 1995, the Yankees won four of the next five World Series, and the 1998–2000 teams were the last in MLB to win three straight Series titles.
As the 2000s progressed, the Yankees'rivalry with theBoston Red Sox increased in intensity as the sides met multiple times in theAmerican League Championship Series (ALCS), trading victories in 2003 and 2004. New York regularly reached the postseason, but were often defeated in the first two rounds. In 2009, the Yankees opened anew Yankee Stadium and won the World Series for the 27th time in team history, an MLB record. The Yankees lost in the ALCS five times from 2010 to 2022, before winning their 41st AL championship in 2024.
At the end of the1900 baseball season, theWestern League was positioned by its president,Ban Johnson, as a new major league that would compete with the establishedNational League (NL). The league was reorganized and renamed theAmerican League (AL), and eight cities fielded teams in the 1901 season. ABaltimore team had played in the NL through the1899 season, after which the club was shut down by the league. Baltimore was one of three former NL cities where the AL placed teams in an effort to reach underserved fans.[1] The new Orioles' firstmanager wasJohn McGraw, who had held the same position for the previous Baltimore team in 1899; McGraw also held an ownership stake.[2]
During the1901 season, there were numerous disputes between Johnson and McGraw over disciplinary issues, which continued intothe following year.[3] Rumors began to spread that Johnson was interested in relocating the team to New York City, in an attempt to compete directly with the NL. McGraw left the Orioles and joined theNew York Giants as their manager; he transferred his interest in the Baltimore team to the Giants as part of the deal.[4] Several Orioles—includingRoger Bresnahan andJoe McGinnity—joined the Giants after McGraw's departure, and the Giants gained a majority of the Orioles' stock. The league managed to take back control of the team from the Giants; after the Orioles forfeited a game because they lacked enough active players,[5] Johnson ordered that the team be "restocked with players essentially given away by the other teams in order to play out the schedule", according to authorMarty Appel.[6]
The AL and NL signed an agreement after the 1902 season that ended the leagues' battles for players, which had led to increasing salaries. Johnson sought the right to locate an AL team in New York City, which was granted as part of the leagues' peace agreement. His intention was for the team to play in Manhattan, but the idea was opposed by Giants ownerJohn T. Brush and former ownerAndrew Freedman, who were connected to the city'sTammany Hall political organization. They blocked several potential stadium locations, before a pair of Tammany Hall politicians,Frank J. Farrell andWilliam Stephen Devery, purchased the New York franchise in the AL.[7] The pair paidUS$18,000 for the team.[8] This was the last change in the lineup of MLB teams for half a century.[9]
It is not clear whether Farrell and Devery purchased the remains of the Orioles and moved them to New York, or if they received anexpansion franchise. According to Appel, the Orioles seasons were included in Yankees history by many historians.[10]Baseball-Reference.com included the 1901 and 1902 Orioles in its statistics for the Yankees until 2014, when it decided to separate the two years from the subsequent New York-based seasons. Official MLB historianJohn Thorn supported the change, citing the new ownership, high roster turnover, and AL takeover of the Orioles.[11] The Yankees do not count the Orioles years as part of their history.[12]
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The ballpark for the New York team was constructed between 165th and 168th Streets, onBroadway inManhattan. Formally known as American League Park, it was nicknamedHilltop Park because of its relatively high elevation.[13] The team did not have an official nickname; it was often called the New York Americans in reference to the AL. Another common nickname for the club was the Highlanders, a play on the last name of the team's president, Joe Gordon, and the British military unit, theGordon Highlanders;[14] Gordon was of Scottish descent.[15] The team acquired players such asoutfielderWillie Keeler andpitcherJack Chesbro. The player-manager wasClark Griffith, obtained from theChicago White Sox. On April 22, 1903, the Highlanders begantheir season with a 3–1 loss to theWashington Senators; eight days later, they won their first game in Hilltop Park, defeating the Senators 6–2. New York fell out of contention for the ALpennant in May, falling to seventh place after playing games away from Hilltop Park for a 24-day period while construction on the stadium concluded. With a final record of 72–62 after wins in 19 of 29 games played in September, New York finished in fourth.[16]
Chesbro won 41 games inNew York's 1904 season, still an AL record.[17] New York contended for the AL pennant with theBoston Americans (later nicknamed the Red Sox); Johnson aided New York by helping the team acquire multiple players in trades, including Boston'sPatsy Dougherty. Boston and New York faced each other in a season-ending five-game series that decided the pennant winner, and was played from October 7–10. Boston won two of the first three games, which meant that New York needed to win the two contests scheduled on October 10 to win the AL title. With the score of the first game tied 2–2 in the ninth inning, Chesbro threw awild pitch that allowed a runner onthird base to score, giving Boston a 3–2 victory that clinched the AL pennant; New York won the now-meaningless second game.[18]
New York's performance declinedin 1905, as numerous pitchers dealt with arm injuries and conditioning issues. After losing 18 of 25 games in May, the Highlanders ended the season in sixth.[19] Inits 1906 season, New York again contended for the AL championship. With 13 games left, the team held a one-game lead over the White Sox, but finished in second place three games behind Chicago.[20] According to Appel, "What would follow would be a string of mediocre to bad seasons and not a very good attraction for baseball-crazed New York fans."[21] Over the next three years, New York did not finish higher than fifth, and there were multiple managerial changes in the period.[22]
New York had a second-place finishin 1910, but did not seriously contend for the pennant. ManagerGeorge Stallings andfirst basemanHal Chase, the teamcaptain, clashed towards the end of the season; facing opposition from Ban Johnson, who wanted him to resign as manager, Stallings left the position. Chase managed New York's last 14 games.[23]The following season, New York had a sixth-place finish.[24] Early in the season, New York allowed the Giants to play in Hilltop Park after the Giants' stadium, thePolo Grounds, burned down; the arrangement lasted until June 28, when the rebuilt Polo Grounds opened.[25] Chase resigned as manager beforeNew York's 1912 season;Harry Wolverton accepted the position.[26] That year, New York had a last-place finish with a record of 50–102, the winning percentage of .329 the lowest-ever for the club.[27]
After their first couple of seasons in New York City, team ownership infrequently invested in new players. The ownership group of Farrell and Devery spent their money on personal pursuits such as gambling, leaving them with little to put into the team. New York's star player, Chase, consorted frequently with gamblers. Author Jim Reisler dubbed him "the most crooked player to ever play the game" because of reports that he took part in game fixing.[28] The club also had difficulty drawing fans to Hilltop Park.[29] Appel wrote that "maybe the best thing you could say about the ballpark was that it never burned down."[30] By the end of the 1912 season, Farrell was searching for a site to build a new stadium on.[31]
New York started playing home games at the Polo Grounds in 1913 as tenants of the Giants.[32] Beforethe 1913 season, the team gained an official nickname for the first time. Either "Yankees" or "Yanks" had been used frequently since 1904 in newspapers such as theNew York Evening Journal, since "Highlanders" was hard to fit in headlines.[33] Such unofficial nicknames were common during that era,[14] but thereafter the official name took hold—the New York Yankees.[34]
A third major league, theFederal League (FL), began play in 1914 and lasted for two years. While the Yankees did not have to contend with direct competition for fans, as the FL chose to place its New York City franchise in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan,[35] the team nearly lost leading pitcherRay Caldwell to the rival league after the 1914 season.[36] With the Yankees finishing seventh in 1913 and sixth in 1914,[37] Farrell and Devery sold the team to brewery magnateJacob Ruppert and formerUnited States Army engineerTillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston.[38] The Yankees had rarely been profitable over the previous 10 years, and carried debts of $20,000.[39] The sale was completed on January 11, 1915, as the pair paid a combined $460,000. Ruppert called the team "an orphan ball club, without a home of its own, without players of outstanding ability, without prestige."[40] The new owners intended to spend freely to improve the club's talent level and made a major purchasein 1915, buying pitcherBob Shawkey from thePhiladelphia Athletics. In spite of this, the Yankees' 69 wins were only enough for fifth in the league.[41] After wearing different designs during the Highlanders years, in 1915 the Yankees introduced white uniforms with pinstripes and an interlocking "NY" logo during games at the Polo Grounds; this remains their home uniform design today. For road games, the team began to wear gray uniforms with "New York" across the chest from 1913; the Yankees still wear similar garb.[42][43]
Following the acquisition of third basemanFrank "Home Run" Baker from the Athletics,[44] the1916 Yankees had 80 wins and contended for the AL pennant for most of the season, before suffering a run of injuries to key players, including Baker.[45] In theYankees' 1917 season, New York finished in sixth;Bill Donovan, the club's manager since 1915, was fired in the offseason.[46] Ruppert replaced him withMiller Huggins, completing the hire while Huston was overseas fighting in World War I.[47] The Yankees contended for first place in the war-shortened1918 campaign along with the Red Sox andCleveland Indians, but lost numerous players to military service and were fourth at 60–63.[48] After the season, the Yankees acquired three players—including outfielderDuffy Lewis and pitcherErnie Shore—in a trade with the Red Sox, the winners of the1918 World Series. In 1919, the club made another trade with Boston, acquiring pitcherCarl Mays for two players and $40,000. The midseason deal provoked a dispute between the teams and Ban Johnson, who unsuccessfully attempted to block it.[49] Mays had a 9–3 pitching record as a Yankee, and the team improved to 80–59 for theseason; the mark was good for third in the AL.[50]
The 1919 season was the first in which the Yankees played games at the Polo Grounds on Sundays; until then,blue laws had banned Sunday baseball in New York state. The Yankees' attendance more than doubled in 1919, rising to about 619,000.[51] The Giants soon moved to force the Yankees out of the Polo Grounds, in an effort to secure more Sunday home games.[52] On December 26, 1919, the Yankees made an agreement with the Red Sox to purchase outfielderBabe Ruth for $25,000 cash and $75,000 inpromissory notes. The deal, which was announced on January 5, 1920, was called "the most famous transaction in sports" by author Glenn Stout.[53] After tying for the MLB home run lead in 1918 with the Athletics'Tilly Walker (with 11), Ruth broke the single-season record with 29 in 1919.[54] At the same time, he sought a new contract that would double his $10,000 yearly salary.[55] The Red Sox' sale led to an alleged jinx against the team, which was known as theCurse of the Bambino (after a nickname for Ruth), as Boston did not win another World Series championship until 2004.[56] The deal became a symbol of "how things [would] always go wrong for the Red Sox and right for the Yankees", according to Stout.[57]
With Ruth in the lineup, the Yankees' fortunes were transformed.[58] Playing on four World Series champion teams,[59] Ruth hit 659 home runs and scored 1,959 runs with the Yankees; both marks areteam records as of 2024. He is second in club history with 1,978runs batted in and accumulated 2,518 hits as a Yankee, third on the team's all-time list.[60] As well as prowess on the field, Ruth had a larger-than-life personality, bringing him and his team a huge amount of press and public attention.[61] The addition of Ruth helped the Yankees increase their attendance to 1,289,422 for the1920 season; it was the first time that any MLB team drew more than one million fans in a year.[62] His skills and charm appealed to large segments of the New York City population; Stout wrote that "He belonged to everyone."[63] New York was the AL attendance leader for 13 of Ruth's 15 seasons with the team; the Yankees became solidly profitable as well, making over $370,000 in 1920 and remaining in the black for the rest of the decade.[64]
In 1920, Ruth hit 54 home runs for a new record; his total was higher than that of all other MLB teams but thePhiladelphia Phillies. New York had 95 wins, the most in team history to that point, but fell three wins short of the AL championship and finished third.[65] In an August 16 game against the Indians, a pitch from Mays hit Indians shortstopRay Chapman in the head, leading to his death; the Yankees slumped after the incident as Cleveland captured the pennant.[66] After the season, the Yankees hired general managerEd Barrow from the Red Sox. Barrow made numerous trades with his former club, including one immediately after his departure that brought catcherWally Schang and pitcherWaite Hoyt to New York.[67] The Yankees also became involved in another dispute with Ban Johnson, this time over the replacement of baseball's existing governing body, theNational Commission, after reports came out that the1919 World Series had been fixed. The Yankees and 10 other franchises—including the entire NL—supported the idea of a three-man committee drawn from outside baseball running MLB, and for a time a move by the Yankees to the NL was rumored; ultimately, JudgeKenesaw Mountain Landis was named MLB's firstcommissioner.[68]
The1921 season began a 44-year period in which the Yankees were, according to author Richard Worth, "The greatest sustained winning 'empire' in sports".[69] Ruth surpassed his own record by hitting 59 home runs. He also led MLB inon-base percentage with a .512 mark for the season.[70] The Yankees won the AL pennant for the first time, winning 98 games in the regular season; the total gave them the league championship by a margin of4+1⁄2 games over Cleveland. In the best-of-nine1921 World Series, they faced the Giants and won the first two games, but their opponents claimed the Series title when they won five of the next six games. Ruth suffered an arm infection, which limited his playing time in the later part of the Series.[71] He andBob Meusel participated in exhibition games during the offseason, in violation of MLB rules forbidding players on pennant-winning teams frombarnstorming after the World Series. Season-long suspensions were considered a possibility, but Landis decided to suspend the pair for six weeks.[72] Despite the setback, New York had 94 wins and repeated as AL champions. TheSt. Louis Browns were the closest pursuers, finishing one game behind New York. In theWorld Series, the Yankees again faced the Giants in an all-New York matchup; the Series changed to a best-of-seven format that year. The Giants defeated the Yankees in five games, including one that ended in a tie when it was suspended because of darkness.[73]
By 1923, the teams no longer shared the Polo Grounds, as Giants ownerCharles Stoneham had attempted to evict the Yankees in 1920. Although the attempt was unsuccessful,[74] and Stoneham and the Yankees' owners agreed to a two-year lease renewal,[75] the Giants decided against giving the Yankees an extension after 1922.[76] The treatment pushed the Yankees into seeking their own stadium. In 1921, the team bought a plot of land inthe Bronx, and the construction crew finished the new ballpark before the 1923 season.[77]Yankee Stadium, a triple-deck facility, was originally designed to hold more than 55,000 spectators; it was later able to hold over 70,000.[78] Writer Peter Carino called the stadium "a larger and more impressive facility than anything yet built to house a baseball team."[79] At Yankee Stadium's inaugural game on April 18, 1923, Ruth hit the first home run in the stadium, which sportswriterFred Lieb named "the House That Ruth Built" as the Yankees would not have needed such a large stadium without the Ruth-driven attendance. Ruth himself had a resurgence after receiving vocal criticism for his 1922 World Series performance. He shared the MLB lead withCy Williams by hitting 41 home runs in the1923 season, and had a career-best .393batting average; his performance earned him theAL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.[80][81] The Yankees finished first for the third consecutive year, and faced the Giants again in the1923 World Series. Giants outfielderCasey Stengel hit game-winning home runs in two of the first three games of the World Series, but Ruth's three home runs helped the Yankees win in six games for their first MLB title.[82] Off the field, Ruppert purchased Huston's share of the Yankees for $1.25 million, assuming full ownership of the club.[83]
The Yankees did not return to the World Series in either of the following two seasons. By 1925, New York had fallen to seventh place.[84] That year marked the team's lastlosing season until 1965; the 39-year streak of winning seasons is an MLB record.[85]Lou Gehrig became the starting first baseman in 1925, earning a spot in the lineup he would not relinquish for almost 15 years, a then-recordconsecutive games played streak.[86] The Yankees made more talent upgrades beforetheir 1926 season, which included the signing of infielderTony Lazzeri, who spent over a decade with the club. New York's performance on the field surpassed preseason expectations, and a 16-game winning streak in May gave the team a substantial lead. With a three-game final margin over the Indians, the Yankees won the pennant and a spot in the1926 World Series against theSt. Louis Cardinals.[87] After the Yankees took a 3–2 series lead, the Cardinals won the final two games in Yankee Stadium to claim the Series title. Ruth hit three home runs in the fourth game, but made the finalout of the Series on a failedstolen base attempt.[88]
The Yankees' lineup in the1927 season, which featured Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Meusel,Mark Koenig, andEarle Combs, was known asMurderers' Row for its power hitting. The team led in the standings throughout.[89] The Yankees took first place in early May, and by the end of June had posted a 49–20 record, giving them a large lead in the AL standings; by mid-September, they had clinched the pennant.[90] The 1927 Yankees had a 110–44 record in the regular season, and broke the AL record for wins in a year.[91] Ruth's total of 60 home runs set a single-season home run record that stood for 34 years.[54] Gehrig added 47 home runs and his 175 RBI topped the AL; he won the first of his two AL MVP Awards.[92] The Yankees completed the season bysweeping thePittsburgh Pirates in the1927 World Series.[93] The 1927 Yankees squad is included among the great teams in baseball history.[94]
To begin the1928 season, the Yankees went on a 34–8 run and took a sizable lead. The Athletics chased them for the AL pennant towards the end of the season, but New York won the title again and faced theCardinals in the1928 World Series, sweeping them in four games. Coming off a 54-home run regular season, Ruth had three more and a .625 batting average in the Series, while Gehrig batted .545 with four home runs.[95] With the Yankees' run of three straight league pennants and two World Series titles came criticism from fans of other teams, who decried the team's dominance. Calls to "Break up the Yankees!" were made, and critics hoped that the team would sell Gehrig to separate him from Ruth; Ruppert declined to do so.[96]
The Yankees' run of pennants was broken up by a risingPhiladelphia Athletics team, which denied the Yankees a fourth straight AL championshipin 1929.[97] The team's manager, Huggins, died on September 25. AfterArt Fletcher managed for the rest of the year, Shawkey took the position for the1930 season, in which the Yankees had a third-place finish.[98] The Yankees fired Fletcher and hiredJoe McCarthy; in hisfirst season as manager, the team won 94 games but finished second behind the Athletics.[99] McCarthy's team was undergoing a transition from Murderers' Row; new contributors includedBill Dickey, who had first played for the Yankees in 1928, and pitchersRed Ruffing andLefty Gomez.[100] Ruffing, who had a 39–96 record with the Red Sox before being traded to New York, ended up 231–124 in his Yankees career.[101]
In 1932, McCarthy's Yankees returned to the top of the AL with 107 wins, enough for a 13-game margin over the Athletics.[102] The Yankees met theChicago Cubs in the1932 World Series and swept them four games to none. Gehrig had three home runs, eight RBI, and a .529 batting average for the Series, while Ruth contributed a pair of home runs in the third game at Chicago'sWrigley Field. The second of Ruth's home runs washis "called shot"; after pointing towards the center field stands, according to some post-game press reports, Ruth homered to break a 4–4 tie in the fifth inning. Although accounts of the incident vary greatly, author Eric Enders called the home run "the most talked-about hit in baseball history".[103]
The Yankees began cutting their payroll in 1933, as their finances were strained by the Great Depression. Regardless, the makeup of the team was minimally impacted in comparison to the Athletics, who were forced to sell key players to lower their expenses.[104] From 1933 to 1935, the Yankees posted three consecutive second-place finishes.[105] Ruth's performance declined from previous seasonsin 1933 and1934, his final years with the team. The Yankees released Ruth from his contract before the1935 season, and Gehrig took a leadership role for the club; he was namedNew York's captain.[106] New York was beginning to see results from an initiative to buy minor league teams in an effort to reduce the cost of obtaining players; after buying their first minor league club in 1929, the Yankees had a 15-team system by 1937. Players developed in thefarm system entered the Yankee lineup beginning in the mid-1930s, and into the early 1960s this remained the team's primary player acquisition method.[107] McCarthy worked to regulate player behavior in areas such as mental focus and off-field attire; the Yankees acquired a "corporate image" that they retained for many years.[108]
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New York's 1936 season wasJoe DiMaggio's first with the club. The young center fielder was signed in 1934 from thePacific Coast League'sSan Francisco Seals, and made his debut with the Yankees in 1936, gaining an extra year's experience with the Seals. DiMaggio had a .323 batting average, 29 home runs, and 125 RBI in his rookie season. Gehrig won the AL MVP Award for his season, in which he hit a career-high 49 home runs, with a .354 batting average and 152 RBI. Behind these performances, the Yankees had a 102-win season and won the AL pennant, before defeating the Giants in the1936 World Series, four games to two.[109] After a second consecutive 102-win regular season and AL championship in the1937 season, the Yankees again defeated the Giants in theSeries—this time winning 4–1.[110] The1938 Yankees had 48 victories in 61 games during one stretch, and won the team's third straight AL championship despite a drop in batting performance by Gehrig. In the1938 World Series, the Yankees swept theChicago Cubs in four games. Ruppert died early in 1939; before his death, he sold his ownership interest to Barrow, who took over as the Yankees' president.[111] Financially, the club's position had improved from earlier in the decade; after posting a net loss of around $170,000 from 1931 to 1935, the team made over $1 million during the next four years.[112]
The1939 Yankees lost the services of Gehrig early in the season. After starting the year poorly, he was replaced byBabe Dahlgren, ending his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played; he was later diagnosed withamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which forced him to retire.[113] Despite the loss of Gehrig, New York fielded a team that posted 106 victories in 1939, 17 more than the second-place team. DiMaggio was named MVP of the league; he led the AL in batting average (.381) and was second in RBI (126). Ruffing led the Yankees' pitchers with 20 wins. In the1939 World Series, the Yankees swept theCincinnati Reds in four games for the club's fourth consecutive Series championship.[114] Writers have given the 1936–39 Yankees acclaim for their success in regular season and World Series play; Stout wrote that the 1939 squad was "magnificent", and that their campaign was "wholly without drama" besides Gehrig's departure from the lineup.[115] In response to the Yankees' dominance, after the 1939 season the AL temporarily barred most transactions between the last pennant winner and other league teams in an attempt to prevent New York from improving its roster.[116] The Yankees' run of championships endedin 1940; the team had 18 more losses than in the previous season and finished third, two games behind the Tigers.[117]
DiMaggio recorded base hits in 56 consecutive games for the Yankees during the1941 season, breaking the MLB record of 44 games that had been set by Willie Keeler in 1897. Hishitting streak began on May 15 and lasted until July 17, when DiMaggio failed to record a hit during a game against the Indians atCleveland Stadium.[118] After winning the AL pennant, the Yankees met theBrooklyn Dodgers in the1941 World Series, prevailing in five games. In Game 4, the Yankees trailed 4–3 in the ninth inning and were on the verge of defeat whenTommy Henrich struck out; Dodgers catcherMickey Owen wasunable to field the pitch, allowing Henrich to reach base. That began a four-run game-winning rally, and New York won the championship in Game 5 the following day.[119]
Theattack on Pearl Harbor occurred during the offseason, and some baseball players immediately joined the Armed Forces. Most of the Yankees' roster remained with the teamin 1942, and the club repeated as AL champions despite Gomez's departure. In the1942 World Series, the Cardinals gave the Yankees their first Series loss since 1926, after winning in eight consecutive appearances.[120][121] DiMaggio and other Yankees entered the military before the1943 season, but the club won the AL championship for the 14th time and 7th since 1936. The Cardinals met the Yankees in aWorld Series rematch, and New York won four games to one.[122]
After 1943, more of the team's players were drafted into military, and the Yankeesended 1944 in third place, one position higher than they finishedthe following season.[123] A group consisting ofLarry MacPhail,Dan Topping, andDel Webb bought the Yankees, their stadium, and the franchise's minor league teams for $2.8 million in 1945.[124] Under the new ownership, Yankee Stadium underwent extensive renovations that included the installation of lights. With the war over and the return of players from overseas, the Yankees set an MLB single-season home attendance record by attracting 2,265,512 fans in 1946. McCarthy resigned as manager early in theseason. The Yankees used two other managers during the year (Bill Dickey andJohnny Neun), and ended 1946 in third place.[125] CatcherYogi Berra made his Yankees debut that year; in his 18-season career, Berra won the AL MVP Award three times.[126]Bucky Harris was brought in to be the manager, and his1947 team won the AL pennant and defeated theDodgers in a seven-gameWorld Series.[127] After the end of the Series, MacPhail sold his share of Yankees ownership to Topping and Webb for $2 million.[128]
Despite contending late into the season, the1948 Yankees finished in third place. Harris was released and the Yankees brought in Casey Stengel to manage.[129] At the time, Stengel had "a reputation as a bit of a clown", according to Appel, and had been unsuccessful in two previous MLB managing stints.[130] As the Yankees' manager, he optimized matchups by using aplatoon system, playing more left-handed batters against right-handed pitchers.[131] Numerous injuries affected the team[132] during the1949 season but it battled with the Red Sox for the AL pennant; before a season-ending two-game series at Yankee Stadium, New York trailed Boston by one game and needed a pair of wins.[133] By scores of 5–4 and 5–3, the Yankees won the two games and the league championship.[134] New York won aWorld Series rematch with theDodgers in five games.[135] Stengel was namedAL Manager of the Year in his first season.[132] The Yankees faced another competitive pennant racein 1950, as the Tigers joined New York and Boston at the top of the AL. Late in the season, the Yankees broke a tie with the Tigers for first place and went on to win the pennant.[136] In the1950 World Series, the Yankees swept the Phillies; the second game was decided by a DiMaggio home run in the tenth inning.[137] Following the season, YankeePhil Rizzuto was named AL MVP after recording 200 base hits during the regular season.[138]
Fan interest in attending games had begun declining throughout MLB in the late-1940s, and the Yankees faced a drop-off in their crowds after 1947, when they sold about 2.2 million tickets. By 1957, season attendance was down by over 700,000.[139] New York baseball fans had the option of watching games on television instead by the early 1950s. The Yankees joined the other New York City franchises in allowing game telecasts. This was a departure from the team's strategy when radio broadcasts were introduced.[140] Regular season games of the Yankees were not broadcast until 1939, as management believed that fewer fans would attend games if they could listen on radios.[141]
DiMaggio played his final MLB seasonin 1951, while highly touted outfielderMickey Mantle made his debut for New York. PitcherAllie Reynolds threw twono-hitters during 1951, as the Yankees claimed the AL pennant for the third straight year. They then won the1951 World Series against the Giants, four games to two.[142] Whentheir 1952 team took the AL pennant, the Yankees had an opportunity to match the four straight World Series championships won by the team from 1936 to 1939. Inanother Yankees–Dodgers matchup, New York fell behind three games to two, but victories in games six and seven gave the Yankees the title.[143] New York and Brooklyn were matched again in the1953 World Series, and aBilly Martin base hit that decided the sixth and final game of the Series gave the Yankees another four games to two victory and a fifth title in a row.[144] As of 2023, the 1949–1953 Yankees are the only MLB teams to win five straight World Series; no team since has won more than three in a row.[145]
The Yankees won 103 gamesin 1954, the most yet for a Stengel-managed team, but theIndians took the pennant with a then-AL record 111 wins.[146] One year later, the1955 Yankees faced theDodgers in theWorld Series.[147] After the teams split the first six games of the Series, the Yankees lost the seventh and final game 2–0, giving the Dodgers their first Series win.[148]Elston Howard, the first African American player in Yankees history, made his debut in 1955. His arrival came eight years afterMLB's color line had been broken, as the Yankees' management had sought to avoid integrating the club's roster.[149] As teams such as the Dodgers added black players, the Yankees turned down numerous opportunities to acquire Negro league talent.[150] Management feared alienating white fans and harbored stereotypes of African American players. Author Robert Cohen called these views "symbolic of the overall arrogance of Yankee ownership and management, as well as their prevailing racial attitudes."[151]
In 1956, Mantle won the MVP award for a season in which he led the AL and MLB in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and RBIs (130), becoming the second Yankee (after Gehrig in 1934) to win aTriple Crown.[152] The1956 Yankees won the franchise's seventh AL championship under Stengel and advanced to aWorld Series rematch with theDodgers. In Game 5, with the Series even at 2–2, Yankees pitcherDon Larsen threw aperfect game. In seven games, the Yankees won the Series.[153]
By 1957, the Yankees had won 15 of the last 21 AL pennants. The team's minor-league system had been reduced to 10 teams from a peak of 22, and itsscouting system was acclaimed bySports Illustrated's Roy Terrell as "the best in all baseball."[154] Instead of signing many players for their organization, the Yankees concentrated on acquiring a smaller number of highly skilled players, according to head scoutPaul Krichell. The club recruited players by selling them on the "fame, fortune and fat shares of a World Series pot" that came with making New York's roster.[154]
The1957 Yankees reachedthat year's World Series, but lost in seven games to theMilwaukee Braves.[155] Following the Series, the Giants and Dodgers left New York City for California, leaving the Yankees as New York's only MLB team. Despite their status as the sole New York City-based franchise, theYankees' 1958 attendance decreased from previous seasons as the team could not attract bereft Giants and Dodgers fans.[156] In the1958 World Series, the Yankees had an opportunity to avenge their defeat to theBraves. The Yankees fell behind by losing three of the first four games, but won the final three games of the Series to claim another championship.[157] The Yankees were unable to defend their AL and World Series championshipsin 1959, as they ended up with a 79–75 record, their worst record since 1925, good for third place.[158]
WhenArnold Johnson (a friend of Topping and Yankees general managerGeorge Weiss) became the owner of theKansas City Athletics in 1955, his new team made many transactions with the Yankees. From 1956 to 1960, the Athletics traded many young players to the Yankees for cash and aging veterans. The trades strengthened the Yankees' roster, but brought criticism from rival clubs.[159] Beforetheir 1960 season, the Yankees made one such trade with the Athletics in which they acquired outfielderRoger Maris.[160] In his first Yankees season, Maris led the league in slugging percentage, RBIs, and extra base hits, finished second with 39 home runs, and won the AL MVP Award.[161] The 1960 Yankees won the AL pennant for the 10th time in 12 years under Stengel, and outscored the Pirates 55–27 in the sevenWorld Series games. However, the team lost four of them, falling short of a Series championship afterBill Mazeroski hit awalk-off home run in the final game, ending a contest that Appel called "one of the most memorable in baseball history."[162] The season turned out to be Stengel's last as Yankees manager; he indicated that his age played a role in the team's decision, saying, "I'll never make the mistake of being seventy again."[163]
Ralph Houk was chosen to replace Stengel.[164]During the 1961 season, both Mantle and Maris chased Ruth's single-season home run record of 60, andthe pair attracted much press attention as the year progressed. Ultimately, an infection forced Mantle to leave the lineup and bow out of the race in mid-September with 54 home runs. Maris continued, though, and on October 1, the final day of the season, he homered against Red Sox pitcherTracy Stallard into the right field stands of Yankee Stadium, breaking the record with 61. CommissionerFord Frick decreed that two separate records be kept, as the Yankees played a 154-game schedule in 1927 (beginning in 1961, AL teams played 162 games to accommodate the league's expansion to 10 teams).[165][166] MLB did away with the dual records 30 years later, giving Maris sole possession of the single-season home run record before it was broken in 1998 byMark McGwire.[167] The Yankees won the pennant with 109 regular season wins, at the time the club's second-highest single-season total, and defeated theCincinnati Reds in five games to win the franchise's 19thWorld Series. The team hit 240 home runs to break the MLB single-season record. Maris won another AL MVP Award, whileWhitey Ford captured theCy Young Award, having posted a 25–4 record. The team gained a reputation as one of the strongest the Yankees had fielded, along with the 1927 and 1939 Yankees.[168] New York returned to theWorld Seriesin 1962, facing theSan Francisco Giants. After exchanging victories in the first six games of the Series, the Yankees won the decisive seventh game 1–0 to clinch the title.[169]
The Yankees again reached theWorld Series intheir 1963 campaign, but were swept in four games by theLos Angeles Dodgers. Houk left the manager's position to become the team's general manager and the newly retired Berra was named manager.[170] After dealing with player injuries and internal dissension, the Yankees rallied from third place late in the1964 season and won the AL pennant by one game over the White Sox.[171] It was their fifth straightWorld Series appearance and 14th in the past 16 years.[145] The team faced theSt. Louis Cardinals in a series that included a walk-off home run by Mantle to end the third game. Despite Mantle's game-winning hit, the Yankees were defeated by the Cardinals in seven games, and Berra was fired.[172]
In 1964,CBS announced that it was purchasing 80 percent of the Yankees for $11.2 million. The television network bought the remaining 20 percent, originally retained by Topping and Webb, during the next two years. Topping left as team president after the sale; CBS executiveMike Burke replaced him.[173] From 1962 to the sale, Topping and Webb had sharply curtailed the Yankees' investment in their minor league system, to show greater profits. As a result, the team lacked capable replacements for its aging players.[174] Other factors affected the club's fortunes as well. The team had been slow in signing African American players even after Howard,[175] and lost the opportunity to sign future stars.[176] As most American League clubs dragged their feet in integrating their rosters, the rapid decline of the Yankees' white stars left them on the same footing as the rest of the league.[177] Also, the 1965 introduction of theMLB draft, which allowed the clubs with the worst records to have the first selections, meant that the Yankees could not outbid other teams for young talent.[178] Their trade pipeline with the A's had dried up by 1960, as new A's ownerCharlie Finley announced his intention to avoid trading with New York.[179] Competition for the attention of local fans had been provided by the expansionNew York Mets, founded in 1962. By 1964, the new club started a 12-year streak of outdrawing the Yankees; the Mets also won the1969 World Series.[180]
The Yankees had a record of 77–85in 1965, and their sixth-place finish was their lowest since 1925. It was only their second finish in thesecond division since 1918.Johnny Keane, who was hired to succeed Berra as manager, was fired after the Yankees lost 16 of 20 games to starttheir 1966 season; Houk named himself as Keane's replacement. A last-place finish—their first since 1912—followed at season's end, and the Yankees ended up one position higher, ninth,the following season. Ford, Howard, Mantle, and Maris all retired or were traded to other clubs between 1966 and 1969.[181] Attendance at Yankee Stadium fell to between 1 and 1.3 million fans per season from 1965 to 1971, and dropped below 1 million in 1972.[182] One 1966 game had a crowd of 413 fans; television announcerRed Barber was fired by the Yankees after discussing the low attendance during his telecast.[183]
After fifth-place finishesin 1968 and1969 (the latter in the newly created six-teamAmerican League East division), the1970 Yankees improved to second in the AL East with a 93–69 record,[184][185] finishing behind theBaltimore Orioles.[186] CatcherThurman Munson played his first full season for the Yankees and wonAL Rookie of the Year honors for 1970.[187] New York had 11 more losses duringtheir 1971 season than they had in 1970,[188] but in 1972 they contended for the AL East title and a playoff berth. Late inthe season, the Yankees were in a four-way tie for the most wins in the division, but a slump caused them to fall to fourth by the end of their campaign with a record of 79–76.[189]
Less than a decade into its ownership of the Yankees, CBS moved to sell the team in 1972. In eight years, the team posted an $11 million loss under CBS,[190] losing money in all but two years.[191] Along with the decrease in attendance, the Yankees' television revenues fell by more than 80 percent from their peak, and in 1973 were more than $1 million below what the Mets earned from their broadcasting agreement.[192] A group of investors, led byCleveland-based shipbuilderGeorge Steinbrenner, purchased the club from CBS on January 3, 1973 for $10 million.[193] Despite an initial promise that he would "stick to building ships" and remain in the background, Steinbrenner proved to be a hands-on owner, clashing with Burke and forcing him out of his leadership position.[194] Describing the level of control displayed by the lead owner, investorJohn McMullen stated, "There is nothing in life quite so limited as being a limited partner of George Steinbrenner."[195]
The1973 Yankees held the AL East lead entering August, but faded and ended the year fourth.[196] The 1973 season was the team's last in Yankee Stadium before the building was renovated.[197] The Yankees had become concerned about the drop in attendance and the poor conditions of the stadium's surroundings. For a time, New Jersey sought to attract sports teams to theMeadowlands Sports Complex, and New York City acted to prevent the Yankees from moving. The city paid $24 million to buy Yankee Stadium and the adjacent land, and in 1972 agreed to renovations.[198] Work on the stadium finished in 1976, and the Yankees were required to play at the Mets' home field,Shea Stadium, in 1974 and 1975.[199] Duringthe first of those seasons, the team nearly won the AL East, finishing behind the Orioles in a race that was decided in the final games. The Yankees were helped by an early-season trade that brought first basemanChris Chambliss to the team, and improved to 89 wins from 1973's 80 victories.[199]
After the 1974 season, star pitcherCatfish Hunter was declared afree agent because of a skipped insurance payment.[200] The Yankees signed him to a $3.75 million, four-year contract. It was the beginning of a long-term franchise philosophy of using free agency to acquire talent; Stout writes that they "were the first team to comprehend what free agency meant", as it provided an advantage over lower-spending rivals and generated fan and media interest.[201] Hunter had 23 wins during theYankees' 1975 season, but the team did not contend for the playoffs after July.[201] New York fired managerBill Virdon in August and hired Billy Martin as his replacement.[202] With Martin as the helm, the Yankees returned to the postseason intheir first season in the renovated Yankee Stadium, winning the 1976 AL East title by a10+1⁄2-game margin over the Orioles. Munson was named AL MVP, with a .302 batting average and a total of 105 RBIs that was second-best in the AL. The1976 American League Championship Series (ALCS) between the Yankees andKansas City Royals went to a deciding fifth game, which was won by New York on a walk-off home run by Chambliss. The Yankees did not win a game against theCincinnati Reds in the1976 World Series.[203]
Free agency was introduced more fully from the 1976 offseason; outfielderReggie Jackson, who had spent one season with the Orioles after being traded by the Athletics, was the most significant player available in that first offseason.[204] Steinbrenner signed Jackson to a five-year, $2.96 million contract, giving the Yankees a key player, but one who had difficulty fitting in with the rest of the team. Martin had opposed Jackson's signing, and many players were angered by comments Jackson made that were critical of Munson. Jackson and Martin nearly came to blows in the Yankees' dugout during one game against the Red Sox, in which Martin removed Jackson for being slow to field a ball. The incident sparked media reports of disputes between Martin and Steinbrenner, and further conflict between Martin and Jackson. The Yankees of the late-1970s, noted for clubhouse conflict and on-field success, were later nicknamed "The Bronx Zoo", after abook of the same name by pitcherSparky Lyle, and at the time, New York and the baseball world were agog at their antics.[205] The1977 Yankees won the AL East and defeated the Royals in the1977 ALCS. Trailing 3–2 in the top of the ninth inning of the decisive fifth game, the Yankees scored three times to gain a berth in theWorld Series.[206] Against the Dodgers, the Yankees prevailed in six games for their first Series championship since 1962. Jackson hit a record five home runs in the Series, including three in Game 6 on consecutive pitches, against three different Dodgers pitchers.[207] Jackson gained his own candy bar and the nickname "Mr. October".[208]
Beforetheir 1978 season, the Yankees addedrelief pitcherGoose Gossage, even though theircloser was reigning Cy Young Award winner Lyle.[209] By the middle of July, the team was 14 games behind the Red Sox and infighting had begun again. After making comments to reporters criticizing both Jackson and Steinbrenner, Martin resigned andBob Lemon was hired as manager. The Yankees closed the gap that Boston had opened on them, and by the start of a four-game series at Fenway Park on September 7, the Red Sox' lead was down to four games.[210] Over the course of the series, nicknamed "The Boston Massacre", the Yankees outscored the Red Sox 42–9, winning each game.[211] The teams finished the regular season with identical records, and anAL East tie-breaker game was held on October 2.[212] Losing 2–0 in the seventh inning, the Yankees took the lead on a three-run home run by shortstopBucky Dent, and eventually won 5–4.[213] After beating theKansas City Royals for the third consecutive year in theALCS, the Yankees faced theDodgers again in the1978 World Series. They lost the first two games on the road, but then returned to Yankee Stadium and won three consecutive games before clinching a Series championship in Game 6 in Los Angeles.[214] PitcherRon Guidry was the Cy Young Award winner in 1978, having posted 25 wins against 3 losses with a 1.74 ERA, and 248 strikeouts. Eighteen of his strikeouts came in his June 17 appearance against theCalifornia Angels, which broke the franchise record.[215]
On August 2, 1979, Munson was killed in a plane crash. Martin, who had returned as manager after Steinbrenner fired Lemon in June, said that with his death, "The whole bottom fell out of the team."[216] The1979 Yankees finished fourth with an 89–71 record.[217] Steinbrenner fired Martin after the season and replaced him withDick Howser, who led the Yankees to 103 wins and the AL East titlein 1980. Jackson led the AL with 41 home runs and posted a .300 batting average for the Yankees, who finished three games ahead of the Orioles. Their stay in the postseason was brief, as theRoyals beat them in three straight games to win theALCS.[218] Beforetheir 1981 campaign, the Yankees signedDave Winfield to a 10-year contract worth $23 million, a record at the time. The season was shortened by astrike, and the Yankees qualified for the playoffs by virtue of leading the AL East when the work stoppage began. They defeated theMilwaukee Brewers in adivisional playoff round in five games. and won the AL pennant with three straight wins over theAthletics in theALCS. The Yankees won the first two games of the1981 World Series againstLos Angeles, but the Dodgers won the next four games and the championship.[219]
Following the team's loss to the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, the Yankees had a 15-year absence from the World Series, the longest since the time before their initial appearance in 1921.[220] As the 1980s progressed, the Yankees regularly spent heavily on free agents who were often aging and proved to be declining in performance.[221] The atmosphere of turmoil around the club discouraged some players from signing contracts with New York; they either ignored the Yankees' offers or used them to get more money from other teams.[222] Steinbrenner traded prospects for veterans; sportswriterBuster Olney called this "a practice that ultimately inflicted serious damage on the organization, leaving the team without the needed influx of young and cheap talent."[223] With Steinbrenner at the helm, the team continued to change managers frequently; there were 21 managerial changes in his first two decades of ownership; Martin served five separate stints as New York's manager.[224]
The1982 and1983 Yankees were fifth and third, respectively.[225] Henry Fetter wrote of the following year's team, which had several aging players, "The1984 Yanks had assembled an all-star lineup—but it was that of 1979."[221] In what became a trend in future seasons, the Yankees lacked effective pitching, undoing the efforts of a top-tier offense that included players such as Winfield and first basemanDon Mattingly, one of the few star hitters produced by the farm system during the era. Mattingly led the AL in batting average in 1984—beating out Winfield for the league lead.[226] TheYankees' 1985 season began with a batting lineup improved by an offseason trade forRickey Henderson, the future MLB career stolen base and runs scored record holder.[227] Mattingly was AL MVP in 1985, with 145 RBI and a personal-best 35 home runs, while Guidry won 22 games. The Yankees had 97 wins, two off the division leaderToronto Blue Jays.[228] The1986 side's win total fell to 92, but it was only enough for second place again behind Boston. Mattingly hit an MLB record sixgrand slam home runsin 1987, but dealt with back pain that limited his effectiveness in his remaining years. The Yankees fell to fourth,[229] beginning a six-year streak of fourth or worse.[230] The Yankees had the most wins of any MLB team during the 1980s,[231] but missed the playoffs eight times during the decade and did not win a World Series.[232] Many New York baseball fans chose to support an exciting Mets team. From 1984 to 1992, a period that featured their1986 World Series victory, the Mets' attendance topped that of the Yankees every year.[221] Despite falling attendance, the Yankees' finances were not significantly harmed, as they had a 12-year television rights contract with theMadison Square Garden network that gave them a record $500 million and flexibility to increase their payroll if desired.[233]
Winfield's tenure with the team ended when he was traded in May 1990.The 1990 team lost 95 games to finish at the bottom of the AL East, and its .414 winning percentage was the franchise's worst since 1913.[234] The Yankees underwent a dramatic change in their front office that year, which Glenn Stout cites as a turning point for the club.[235] Winfield had become a target of Steinbrenner in previous years. At one 1985 game, he criticized Winfield by calling him "Mr. May", that is, a player who only performed well early in the season.[235][236] Steinbrenner also resented Winfield's salary as too high, and was critical of a charitable foundation run by him.[235] A gambler was paid by Steinbrenner "for damaging information" about Winfield,[237] an incident that resulted in an indefinite ban from then-commissionerFay Vincent in 1990; three years later, Steinbrenner was reinstated.[238] Under new general managerGene Michael, the Yankees allowed their minor league talent more time to improve their skills and more of a chance to play for the Yankees if they were good enough.[239] Michael focused on on-base percentage in deciding which hitters to pursue, and emphasized left-handed batters who might take advantage of Yankee Stadium's short right-field porch.[240] The players developed by the team during its rebuilding years included outfielderBernie Williams, a future AL batting average leader,[241] and a group—Derek Jeter,Andy Pettitte,Jorge Posada, andMariano Rivera—that became the centerpiece during the 1996–2000 period, and was later nicknamed the "Core Four".[242]
After a 71-win1991 season, the Yankees replaced their incumbent manager,Stump Merrill, withBuck Showalter, who increased the playing time given to young players. While the1992 Yankees were 20 games behind the AL East winner, offseason acquisitions—third basemanWade Boggs, pitcherJimmy Key, and outfielderPaul O'Neill—helped the1993 team to an 88–74 record and New York's highest finish (second) in seven seasons. By 1994, the Yankees had progressed to the point where they led the AL with a 70–43 record going into the homestretch of the regular season.[243]Their campaign was cut short by aplayers' strike, which resulted in the cancellation of the playoffs and1994 World Series.[244] Many media members believed that the Yankees might have reached the World Series if not for the strike.[245] A year later,the team reached the playoffs and gave Mattingly his first career postseason appearance by winning the first ALwild card berth, but it was eliminated in a five-gameDivision Series (ALDS) against theSeattle Mariners.[246]
Mattingly did not return to the Yankees fortheir 1996 season, and the club replaced Showalter withJoe Torre.[247] Although the managerial change met with a mixed reception by the press,[248] Torre received praise for his handling of players as his managerial career progressed; Olney remarked that he was able to "defuse powder-keg issues and serve as a buffer between Steinbrenner and the players."[249] Jeter won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in his first full season with the Yankees, and Pettitte with 21 wins was second in AL Cy Young Award voting and Rivera posted an 8–3 record and 2.09 ERA as the club won a division title.[250] New York reached the1996 World Series, where they lost the first two games at home to theAtlanta Braves by a combined score of 16–1. But New York won three straight contests in Atlanta, including a Game 4 in which they scored eight straight runs to rally from a 6–0 deficit.[251] With a 3–2 win in Game 6, the Yankees won the World Series for the first time in 18 years.[252] For 1997, the Yankees signed starting pitcherDavid Wells and allowed closerJohn Wetteland to leave in free agency, enabling Rivera to inherit the role. The1997 Yankees earned a wild card playoff berth, but lost three games to two against theCleveland Indians in theALDS.[253]
In preparation fortheir 1998 season, the Yankees replaced general managerBob Watson withBrian Cashman. The club made many player acquisitions, gaining the services of third basemanScott Brosius, second basemanChuck Knoblauch, and starting pitcherOrlando Hernández. The Yankees won 28 of their first 37 games—a stretch that concluded with aperfect game pitched by Wells—and by August were 76–27.[254] The 1998 Yankees are considered by some writers to be among the greatest teams in baseball history,[255][256][257] having compiled a then-AL record of 114 regular-season wins against 48 losses. After playoff series wins over theTexas Rangers and Indians, New York defeated theSan Diego Padres in four consecutiveWorld Series games for their 24th Series title.[258]
After the 1998 season, Wells was traded to theToronto Blue Jays forRoger Clemens, who had just completed two consecutive Cy Young Award-winning seasons. In a regular season that included anotherperfect game by a Yankees pitcher, this one byDavid Cone, New York led the AL East with 98 wins and beat theRangers in theALDS. This led to anALCS against the rivalRed Sox. New York won the first two games en route to a 4–1 series win, and went on to sweep theBraves in the1999 World Series. The postseason results gave the 1998–99 Yankees a 22–3 playoff record, and the team held a 12-game winning streak in World Series competition dating back to 1996.[259] Although the2000 Yankees had an 87–74 regular season record that was the worst among playoff qualifiers and lost 15 of their last 18 games,[260] the team won consecutive playoff series to claim the AL championship. New York's pennant placed them in the2000 World Series against the cross-townMets, the firstSubway Series in 44 years.[261] With a four games to one victory, the Yankees gained theirthird successive title.[262] As of 2023, the 2000 Yankees are the most recent MLB team to repeat as World Series champions and the Yankees of 1998–2000 are the last team to win three consecutive World Series.[145]
Free agent pitcherMike Mussina signed with the Yankees beforetheir 2001 season began, and the club pulled away from the Red Sox as the year progressed to claim another divisional championship, as Clemens won 20 games. TheSeptember 11 attacks interrupted the season, and the resumption of baseball in New York became a symbol of how the city recovered from the destruction of theTwin Towers. After falling behind 2–0 in theALDS against theAthletics, the Yankees won three straight contests to advance to theALCS. They prevailed in five games against theSeattle Mariners, who had tied a single-season MLB record with 116 regular season wins, for the team's fourth straight AL pennant.[263] TheArizona Diamondbacks gained a two-game lead in the2001 World Series before the Yankees won three consecutive ballgames; New York home runs with two outs in the ninth inning of Games 4 and 5 led to extra inning wins in both games, with Game 4 ended by a Jeter home run.[264] The Yankees' championship streak ended, though, as the Diamondbacks won the Series in seven games with a late rally in the final inning of Game 7.[265]
After the 2001 season, several players from the late 1990s and early 2000s Yankees teams departed. New York won their fifth AL East title in a row in its2002 campaign, but theAnaheim Angels defeated the Yankees in theALDS.[266] The Yankees' major acquisition in the offseason was leading Japanese hitterHideki Matsui of theYomiuri Giants.[267] Another signing, that of Cuban pitcherJosé Contreras, led to complaints from Red Sox CEOLarry Lucchino, who dubbed his team's rivals "the Evil Empire".[268] Tensions between the rivals increased in the coming seasons, and writers called the rivalry one of the most intense and well known in North American professional sports.[269][270][271] By 2003, New York's overall payroll had reached almost $153 million, more than thePadres,Brewers,Royals, andTampa Bay Devil Rays combined.[272] Criticism of the Yankees' spending such as Lucchino's was frequently raised; during a 15-year stretch from 1999 to 2013, they had the biggest MLB player payroll every year.[273]
Jeter became the Yankees' captain intheir 2003 season. The team faced theRed Sox in theALCS. The series came down to a seventh game, and the Yankees fell behind before three eighth-inning runs forced a 5–5 tie and extra innings.Aaron Boone, a third baseman acquired by New York in a mid-season trade, hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to give New York the pennant. The Yankees were then defeated by theFlorida Marlins in theWorld Series, four games to two.[274] The Yankees added power hitting to their lineup in the offseason, signing free agentGary Sheffield and trading for shortstopAlex Rodriguez, who became a third baseman with New York. Three of the starting pitchers from the previous season—Clemens, Pettitte, and Wells—left the team before the season. Despite the losses, the2004 Yankees managed to top the AL East with 101 wins and defeat theTwins three games to one in theALDS.[275] The victory set up anALCS rematch with theRed Sox. The Yankees took a 3–0 series lead before losing four consecutive games, becoming the first team in MLB history to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games.[276]
The2005 season featured an AL MVP performance by Rodriguez, who hit a league-leading 48 home runs with 130 RBIs and a .321 batting average. The Yankees beat theRed Sox for the division title because they won 10 of their 19 contests against Boston; both teams had 95–67 records.[277] TheLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim defeated the Yankees in five games in thefirst round of the postseason.[278] The2006 Yankees kept at the same level, as they won the AL East for the ninth straight year but were eliminated in theALDS by theDetroit Tigers three games to one.[278]
Rodriguez again won the AL MVP award in 2007, as his 54 home runs and 156 RBIs topped the AL; he scored 143 runs, the highest single-season number by a player since 1985. After starting the year 21–29, the Yankees rallied to win the AL's wild card berth; it was the first time in 10 seasons that they did not win the AL East.New York's season ended in the first round of the playoffs; theIndians won the opening two games of theALDS and finished the series in four games. Manager Torre did not re-sign after the season, andJoe Girardi took his place.[279] Rodriguez, who used an opt-out clause in his contract to become a free agent, stayed with the Yankees by signing for $275 million over 10 seasons, an MLB record.[280] The2008 season was the Yankees' last in which they played at the original Yankee Stadium. The club had sought a new stadium to increase revenues, following the example set by other MLB teams.[281] It was also the first in whichHal andHank Steinbrenner ran the team as general partners; though George Steinbrenner was still the principal owner on paper, he yielded operational responsibilities during the 2007 offseason. Yankee Stadium was the site of the2008 All-Star Game, but for the first time in 14 years did not host playoff action. New York ended the year third in the AL East and failed to qualify for the postseason.[282]
Thenew Yankee Stadium, which cost a record $1.5 billion, was constructed near the old facility. As built, it had a capacity of approximately 52,000, with 52luxury suites.[281]Monument Park, which holds plaques and monuments honoring former Yankees personnel, was built beyond the center field fence; its collection was transplanted from the old stadium.[283] For the2009 season, the team committed over $400 million in future salaries to three free agents: pitchersCC Sabathia andA. J. Burnett, and first basemanMark Teixeira.[284] New York won 90 of its last 134 games, and broke the franchise single-season record by hitting 244 home runs.[285] Another club record was broken by Jeter, who passed Gehrig as the Yankees' all-time hits leader on September 11.[286] New York posted 103 wins in 2009 and beat out the Red Sox for the division title by eight games. In the AL playoffs, the Yankees defeated theTwins in theALDS and theAngels in theALCS, advancing to theWorld Series. There, they faced the defending Series champions, thePhiladelphia Phillies.[287] Behind a six-RBI effort by Matsui in the sixth and final game, the Yankees defeated the Phillies to win their record 27th Series championship.[288]
George Steinbrenner died in July 2010. TheYankees won the league's wild card berth, but their title defense was ended by theTexas Rangers in theALCS.[289] Multiple Yankees players set individual marks in 2011. Jeter joined the3,000 hit club on July 9; he was the first player to do so while playing for the club. Later in the season, Rivera posted the 602nd save of his career, breaking the all-time record that had been held byTrevor Hoffman. The Yankees won the AL East, but lost in theALDS to the Tigers.[290] Rivera suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee in May 2012 while catching fly balls before a game against the Royals.[291] Even without their longtime closer, the2012 Yankees gained a 10-game lead by mid-July, and held off theOrioles to win the division title by a final margin of two games.[292] After defeating the Orioles in a five-gameALDS, the Yankees were swept by the Tigers in theALCS.[293]
During Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS, Jeter broke his right ankle while attempting to field a ball.[294] He was one of many Yankees to miss playing time during the club's2013 campaign; 20 players were placed on thedisabled list at least once. The team had an opportunity to win a wild-card playoff spot, but faded late in the season.[295] It was only the second time since 1995 that New York did not qualify for postseason play.[296] In the offseason, second basemanRobinson Canó departed New York for the Mariners in free agency, but the Yankees signed starting pitcherMasahiro Tanaka, who was coming off a 24–0 year with Japan'sTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, to a seven-year contract.[297] Rodriguez was suspended for the 2014 season by MLB for using performance-enhancing drugs.[298] The2014 Yankees, the last with Jeter in their lineup, fell four games short of a postseason berth with an 84–78 record. Despite signing several new hitters prior to the season, the team finished third from last in the AL in runs scored.[299] The offense improvedin 2015, ending the regular season with the second-most runs in MLB. New York gained a wild card berth with a second-place finish, but was defeated by theHouston Astros in aone-game playoff.[300] The Yankees traded several veteran players duringtheir 2016 season and received infielderGleyber Torres, among others, in return.[301] In August 2016, Rodriguez was released from his contract.[302] The club had 84 wins, but missed the playoffs for the third time in four years.[303] As the Yankees' on-field performance declined after 2009, their attendance and television ratings fell;[304][305] revenue from ticket and luxury suite sales at Yankee Stadium decreased by more than 40 percent from 2009 to 2016.[306]
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The2017 Yankees featured a group of young players that included outfielderAaron Judge, who hit 52 home runs, the most ever by a rookie at the time, and was the AL MVP runner-up.[307] The infusion of talent led to both renewed fan interest and improved play.[308] New York earned a postseason berth and reached theALDS by beating theTwins in theAL wild card game. After winning against theIndians in five games, the Yankees lost to theAstros in theALCS in seven games.[309] After 10 years as the team's manager, Girardi was replaced by Boone.[310] New York acquired outfielderGiancarlo Stanton, the 2017 NL MVP, in an offseason trade with the Marlins.[311] Stanton had 38 of the 267 home runs hit by theYankees in 2018, as the club set an MLB single-season record.[312] They again qualified for the playoffs and made it to theALDS, where they faced the Red Sox. The Yankees were defeated three games to one by their rivals, falling short of a return to the ALCS.[313]
In 2019, the Yankees won 103 games and the AL East championship.[314] The team hit 306 home runs, surpassing the previous season's record and finishing second in MLB behind theTwins, their opponents in theALDS.[315] After sweeping Minnesota,[314] New York had anotherALCS matchup withHouston. A ninth inning home run byJose Altuve in the sixth game gave the Astros their second ALCS elimination of the Yankees in three years.[316] The 2010s was the first calendar decade since the 1910s in which the Yankees did not win a pennant.[317] Before the2020 season, which was shortened to 60 games by theCOVID-19 pandemic,[318] the team sought to bolster its starting pitching by signingGerrit Cole to a $324 million contract.[319] The Yankees qualified for their fourth consecutive postseason,[318] but were defeated by theTampa Bay Rays in theALDS.[320] The2021 Yankees earned a wild card playoff berth with a 92-win season and made the franchise's 57th playoff appearance, losing theAL wild card game 6–2 to theRed Sox.[321]
In2022, the Yankees had a strong 44–16 start to the season.[322] The team was on pace to break the MLB single-season win record at one point.[323] Although their level of play declined, the Yankees managed to win their division and the second seed in the AL.[324] Judge hit 62 home runs, breaking the 61-year-old AL single-season record held by Maris, and was named AL MVP;[325] New York signed him to a nine-year, $360 million contract extension following the season.[326] After defeating theCleveland Guardians in theALDS in five games,[327] the Yankees fell to theHouston Astros in theALCS in a four-game sweep.[323] The team's performance declined in the2023 season, as the Yankees fell to fourth place and missed the postseason with an 82–80 record.[328]Domingo Germán pitched aperfect game, the fourth by a Yankee, while Cole had a 15–4 record and won the Cy Young Award.[329]
The Yankees made a deal with San Diego for right fielderJuan Soto in the offseason.[330] Soto contributed 41 home runs during the2024 campaign, and Judge topped MLB with 144 RBI and 58 home runs, nearly matching his 2022 record.[331] Judge became one of five players in history to hit 50 or more home runs in a season on three separate occasions.[332] New York had 94 regular season wins, the most among AL teams.[331] AnALDS victory overKansas City earned the club an appearance in theALCS againstCleveland.[333] A three-run home run by Soto in the tenth inning of the series' fifth game clinched the 41st AL pennant in franchise history and a berth in theWorld Series.[334] Stanton was namedALCS MVP, having hit four home runs in the series.[335] In the World Series the Yankees lost to theDodgers in five games.[333] This was the 12th time that the Yankees and Dodgers played each other in the World Series, an MLB record.[336] Despite playing competitively against Los Angeles, the Yankees made mistakes in key moments, including three defensive misplays in one inning during the final game.[337] Following the season, Judge was announced as AL MVP for the second time in his career. It was the 22nd time a Yankees player had been named MVP since 1931, when theBaseball Writers' Association of America first voted on the honor.[338]
As of 2024, the Yankees' 27 World Series championships are 16 more than the number won by theSt. Louis Cardinals, who have the second-most titles among MLB teams.[339] New York's championship total is the highest of any franchise in a major North American professional sports league.[340] The 41 pennants won by the Yankees places them 15 in front of the Dodgers for the most won by an MLB team. The Cardinals and Giants are the only other clubs with 20 or more pennants.[339] TheBaseball Hall of Fame hasinducted over 50 players and managers who have worn Yankees pinstripes.[341]Forbes magazine has labeled the Yankees themost valuable team in baseball every year since 1998; the franchise was worth an estimated $7.55 billion in 2024.[342]
In Glenn Stout's Yankees history book, the author wrote:
More often than not, they have shown just how the game of baseball is supposed to be played. Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Mattingly, Jeter, and dozens of other players impossible to forget have worn their uniform. Yankee Stadium has been their stage. The very definition of a dynasty, they have created the collective memories that make friends of strangers, given their city a face, and displayed its heart and soul.[343]
