When you think of historic baseball franchises, it is hard not to mention the New York Yankees. 45 Hall of Fame players. 9 Hall of Fame managers. 27 World Series titles. The New York Yankees are, without a doubt, the most successful baseball franchise of all time. This year, however, everything seemed to go wrong. In Baltimore, their division rivals, the Orioles, won 100 games and the AL East for the first time since 1980. Is this the end of an era in New York or is it just a fluke?
The last time the Yankees missed the playoffs, Rick Porcello won the AL Cy Young award. The Yankees finished 4th in the AL East with an 84-78 record. This year, they have limped to the end of the season with a meager 82-80 record. It has been a disappointing season for the Yankees. During Spring Training, many thought this team would be in the playoffs. That, of course, did not come to fruition. Many point out that the Yankees suffered critical injuries to stars such as Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Frankie Montas. However, others believe that this is a deeper issue. They think that there is a fundamental issue in the way the Yankees are run and managed.
Aaron Boone, the Yankees manager since 2018, has been under heavy scrutiny. From questionable bullpen decisions to countless ejections and scenes, Aaron Boone is one of the most controversial managers in the MLB. Over his 5 year tenure with the club, he has led them to 4 postseason berths, two hundred-win seasons, and two ALCS appearances. Despite this, many believe his management is to blame for the collapse. Boone has made many decisions with the bullpen that ultimately cost his team the game. Most notably, in last year’s ALDS against the Guardians, the Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth in Game 3 with a 5-3 lead. Instead of using all-star closer Clay Holmes, Boone went with a combination of Wandy Peralta and Clarke Schmidt. Both of these are solid bullpen arms, but not near the level of Clay Holmes. This move returned to haunt the Yankees as the Guardians scored 3 runs and won the game—decisions like these litter throughout Boone’s tenure and the 2023 season.
From 2018-2022, the Yankees finished top 3 in runs per game in 4 out of the 5 seasons. However, they finished in the top 12 in team batting average once over those five seasons. Most of the Yankee’s runs from this stretch came from home runs. Hence the nickname, the Bronx Bombers. This kind of offense is much harder to sustain long-term success with due to its volatility. At the same time, teams that hit for high batting averages are much more consistent. This is evident because 9 of the top 10 teams in batting average this season made the playoffs. This season, the Yankees finished 29th, only ahead of the 112-loss Oakland Athletics.
Injuries have played a significant role in the Yankee’s disappointing season. 2022 AL MVP Aaron Judge played just 105 games. Three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo played through multiple injuries, including a concussion. He ended up playing in 99 games. Frankie Montas pitched one and a third innings. In addition, Carlos Rodon and Josh Donaldson both had down years, the latter eventually being released. Many Yankees fans point to these as the reason for the collapse. While these injuries affected the season’s trajectory, these teams must be prepared to win without their stars. If anything, this just shows the lack of depth the Yankees have. With Aaron Judge in the lineup, the Yankees had a record of 57-49. Without him, they were 25-31.
While it appears this is the end of an era for the Yankees, there is hope for them. Young stars Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez showed flashes of star potential. With first-round pick George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones making waves in the minors, there is hope for this team. If the Yankees build around this young core, they can open a new chapter of Yankees baseball—one full of winning and many championships.
