The New York Yankees clinch a spot in the 2020 MLB postseason following a loss Sunday’s by Seattle Mariners. It is their fourth appearance in as many years and third in a row for manager Aaron Boone. Also, it is the Yankees 28th consecutive winning season. The Yankees become the fourth American League team to earn a playoff berth along with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, and Tampa Bay Rays.
Resurgence
After losing 15 of 20 games from August 18th through September 8th, the Yankees rolled for victories in their next 10 consecutive games before dropping Sunday’s game. As a result, they moved from the eighth and final playoff spot to as high as the fourth spot. As of Sunday, they sit in the fifth spot, but they are tied in the loss column with the Twins.
The Long Ball
During their 10-game winning streak, the Yankees hit 28 home runs. Their opponents scored only 25 total runs. In a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 17th, the Yankees set a franchise record by hitting five homes runs in one inning.
An inning for the record books. pic.twitter.com/tMCETfFy5P
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 18, 2020
Later in that same game, Gary Sanchez would homer in the seventh inning which gave the Yankees three straight games with at least six home runs, also a MLB record. In the three games series against the Blue Jays, the Yankees set yet another MLB record by hitting a total of 19 home runs in the series.
History Machine. pic.twitter.com/VFMF6IAMVD
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 18, 2020
As a result, the Bronx Bombers have literally been living up to their name and feasting on opposing pitchers.
Solid pitching
Another huge factor in the Yankees current streak is their starting pitching. Amongst the starters, they have pitched 63 1/3 innings and have only given up 15 earned runs. The solid starting pitching has greatly helped out a Yankees bullpen that has struggled for a majority of the season. Despite the shaky bullpen, strong performances by Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ have kept the Yankees rolling leading up to their clinch. It is very possible that these three pitchers will be the Yankees playoff rotation moving forward.
Outlook
If the playoffs started today, the Yankees would would be facing the Twins who are currently second in the AL Central. However, things can change quickly as there is only one week left in the regular season. For now though, the Yankees are once again in the playoffs hoping to add another championship banner to their legacy.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
