SEATTLE — With the Yankees still a win away from clinching a playoff berth on Tuesday night, Aaron Boone took a minute to think about what had gone right for a franchise that missed the postseason and fought to finish above .500 last year.
“A lot of things have come together,” the manager said after his Yankees mashed the Mariners in an 11-2 win. “Probably better health overall. Definitely an added focus for guys that were coming off tough years. And simply put, we’re better.
“We weren’t a great team last year, and this team has a chance to do something special.”
The Yankees haven’t always felt like a great team this season either, as a prolonged stretch of mediocrity followed a scorching start to their season. Nonetheless, the 89-63 ballclub officially secured a postseason spot on Wednesday with a 2-1, 10-inning win over Seattle.
The win was aided by Anthony Rizzo, who drove in both runs — he had a go-ahead double in the 10th — and Nestor Cortes, who twirled six scoreless frames in Seattle.
The Yankees also had some help from Julio Rodríguez, as he killed the Mariners’ chances on a bizarre baserunning blunder in the bottom of the 10th. The play saw the young star make the first out of the inning at third base after Randy Arozarena let go of his bat on a swing. Rodríguez had to dodge the lumber, but he went too far off the bag, allowing Austin Wells to throw him out.
The Yankees ended things — and locked themselves into the playoffs — a few batters later.
“Julio just evaded the play because the bat was coming toward him,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr., who applied the tag. “He just ran straight to the side. He didn’t come back to the base. And I was just telling Wells, ‘Hey, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon… The play’s not dead!’”
Added Boone: “That’s one I’ve never seen. I don’t know if I’ll see that again.”
The Mariners are absolutely hilarious on the bases, Julio gets thrown out dodging Arozarena’s bat pic.twitter.com/3EDWRk1Sr5
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) September 19, 2024
With Rodríguez assisting the Yankees’ clincher, they now have a season-high five-game lead over the Orioles in the American League East. The division is still up for grabs, but the Bombers celebrated their return to the playoffs with Champagne showers and carts of beer cans in T-Mobile Park’s plastic-wrapped visiting clubhouse.
Some fans chastised that previously announced decision, deeming a party premature for an organization with 27 championships to its name. But Boone believes in stopping to smell the roses when possible.
”Anytime you get in it, I think it’s important to appreciate that,” he said. “The season is a gauntlet. It’s long, it’s a grind. Last year we didn’t make the playoffs, so maybe that gives you even a heightened appreciation for an opportunity to get into the dance.”
Other Yankees struck similar notes when they weren’t busy dancing and trying to burn each other’s eyes with bottles of bubbly. The 2023 season, in particular, came up frequently as the team raged into the night.
“We’re excited,” said a drenched Aaron Judge, who has positioned himself as the American League MVP frontrunner. “We definitely know the job’s not finished. We’re hunting this division, but to get an opportunity to punch our ticket back in the postseason after missing out last year means a lot. We got a special group here. The boys are definitely excited, but they know the mission that’s definitely ahead of us.”
The Yankees, ravaged by injuries and underachieving performances last season, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and went 82-80. Cortes said that holdovers were still “bitter” about that when they showed up early to spring training this year.
“It stuck with us a long time, as it should,” Gerrit Cole said. “And it does when it means a lot to you.”
Boone said that he certainly felt those emotions from his squad, and that last year’s failures served as inspiration.
“There’s always fuel to the fire when you don’t want it all,” the skipper said. “That’s what you’re always working for, but not getting in, there was a lot of tremendous focus from everyone in the organization all the way down to all the players.”
With the 2023 campaign now well behind the Yankees, they have a shot to win the American League East. Should they do so — a likely scenario with Baltimore flailing — another celebration is planned.
However, it’s understood that there are bigger goals to achieve with the Yankees stuck in a championship drought that dates back to 2009.
“We’re gonna enjoy this one for now, but we got business to take care of,” Cortes said with a Bronx matchup against the O’s set for next week. “Our goal is to win the division and keep going from there. Our ultimate goal is to win the World Series.”
The Yanks believe they have a real shot at that. Then again, what team in the postseason wouldn’t like its chances?
“I feel like every team that’s gonna go to the playoffs is gonna have that same mindset,” Alex Verdugo, a first-year Yankee, said when asked if the pinstripers are the team to beat. “So, yeah, I believe so.”
The team’s playoff picture is still incomplete with a few games left to be played in the regular season, and it’s been established that the playoffs can be a crapshoot. Going in hot always helps, and the Yankees believe they’re getting there with the regular season winding down.
“I feel like we’ve been kind of boiling some water and getting hot and feeling really good about what we have going,” said Rizzo, who won a World Series with the Cubs in 2016.
Added Juan Soto, who won a championship with the Nationals in 2019: “We can go all the way because we believe in each other. We don’t try to be the hero out there. We just try to do our job and try to win games for the team.”
The Yankees still have a long way to go before they can schedule a parade down the Canyon of Heroes. Everything from matchups to their opening playoff roster still needs to be finalized in the coming days.
For now, however, the Yankees can enjoy the fact that October baseball awaits them once again.
“It’s gonna be lit,” Verdugo said. “It’s gonna be a lot of people, a lot of energy, a lot noise. And hopefully more bottles being popped.”
