When the expectations of winning a World Series championship every season cloud the vision of fans, players, and management, it can be hard to see the positives of the New York Yankees 2019 season. In spite of that elusive title slipping from their grasp, there was a surplus of moments that should make team proud. The Yankees top five moments brought individual achievements and team accomplishments alike and a great deal of excitement to the team all season long.
The signing of Gerrit Cole may prove to be both the most exciting and impacting moment of the 2019 calendar year, but there was still plenty to talk about in-season. The following five moments stand out above all of the others.
5. Sweeping the Red Sox in London
As MLB decided to showcase one of its most historic rivalries in the inaugural London Series, an explosion of offense took place in England. The Yankees and Boston Red Sox erupted for 50 runs over two games.
Ultimately, it was the Yankees that out-slugged the Red Sox. The tone was set early when the Yankees jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, only to give it back in the bottom of the inning.
They won the first game 17-13, and then they swept the two-games series with a 12-8 win the next night. The team also made history in front of the London crowd as they extended their record for the most consecutive games with a home run. That streak would reach 31 games.
4. CC Sabathia‘s 3,000th strikeout
There are certain milestones in MLB that symbolize immortality. For pitchers, the 3,000 strikeout plateau is certainly one of them. Entering the 2019 season, only 16 men had ever reached that mark.
The culmination of CC Sabathia‘s journey to join those men came on May 1st. Emotions flared as he struck out former teammate John Ryan Murphy in a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, cementing his place in MLB history.
Sabathia was the 17th pitcher to reach this mark, and with Houston Astro Justin Verlander also reaching the mark in September, he is one of 18 in the 3,000 strikeout club. Unfortunately the Yankees did lose that game, leaving a sour note on a historic night, which is why this event comes in at fourth on this list of Yankees top five moments.
3. Mike Ford Walk-Off Home Run
In a display of dramatic heroics, the Yankees tied and defeated the Oakland A’s on September 1st when Brett Gardner and Mike Ford hit back-to-back ninth-inning home runs. Aside from being an exciting home run, this moment epitomizes all that the 2019 Yankees were about.
Heading into the season, Ford wasn’t even a thought to be on the 25-man roster. As the injuries continued to pile up, Ford found his way to the Bronx early in the season. Despite a trip back to Triple-A, he eventually returned and had a great impact for the team down the stretch.
This was the story of the Yankees all season long. Their ‘next man up’ mentality was prominent all throughout the season as they saw 30 players serve time on the injured list. That is why, heroics aside, this home run was so memorable. It was yet another example of a player that was not expected to contribute to the team in the beginning of the year coming through in a big spot.
2. Aaron Hicks Diving Catch
Contrary to the Ford home run, which was memorable for what it symbolized in addition to the heroics, Aaron Hicks‘s catch is on this list solely for its dramatic nature. In one of the season’s most exciting games, no lead was safe when the Yankees played the Minnesota Twins.
The Yankees trailed by as many as six runs, but they fought back to take lead, fueled by seven two-out RBI from Didi Gregorius. The Yankees would then lose that lead when Miguel Sano hit his second home run of the night in the eighth inning, and regain the lead when Hicks homered in the ninth inning. Aroldis Chapman would then blow the save in the bottom of the ninth. Gleyber Torres would give the Yankees the lead again in the tenth inning.
After all of that crazy back-and-forth action, it almost seemed certain that Max Kepler had tied the game yet again when he lined a ball into the left-centerfield gap with the bases loaded. Cue Hicks. Hicks sprints all-out towards the warning track before diving in a last attempt at the catch. As he comes down he hits the ground hard and his body flops off of the warning track dirt, but not enough for him to lose control of the ball. A display of raw emotion erupts on the field by the Yankees players as Hicks’s catch secured the win in one of 2019’s most dramatic baseball games.
1. Winning the AL East
It is no secret that the Yankees expect to win the World Series every year. That being said, their first goal for 2019 was to win the AL East. They did just that, securing the franchise its first division title in seven seasons. As a result, it lands as the best of the Yankees top five moments
Even though the team appeared to making winning appear easy with 103 victories, but it was no simple task. The Tampa Bay Rays won 96 games, and the Red Sox entered the season as the reigning World Series champions with the majority of that team returning.
In spite of that and in spite of the record number of injuries that continued to pile up, the Yankees finished the season 26-12 against their toughest division rivals. Fittingly enough, the clinching game was one against Los Angeles Angels with big hits from DJ LeMahieu, Brett Gardner, two players who carried the team throughout the season that were not expected to do so in Spring Training.
The Yankees top five moments illustrate just how exciting and successful of a season that the Yankees had despite not attaining the coveted World Series championship. Now, fans, players, and management will turn their attention to 2020 and more excitement to come.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
