The 2002 New York Yankees season was the 100th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 103–58 finishing 10.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. 2002 was a transition year for the Yankees, as they soldiered on without Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius and Chuck Knoblauch, main pieces in the 1990s dynasty. In the playoffs, they lost in the ALDS in 4 games to the Anaheim Angels, marking the 2002 Yankees season a failure as they did not advance to a World Series for the first time since 1997; failing to win their fifth straight pennant; they did not win a World Championship, giving the team a 2-year title drought.
Offseason December 7, 2001: David Justice was traded by the Yankees to the New York Mets for Robin Ventura. December 13, 2001: John Vander Wal was traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Yankees for Jay Witasick. December 13, 2001: Jason Giambi, a free agent, signed a 7-year $120-million deal with the Yankees. January 8, 2002: Luis Sojo was signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees. January 11, 2002: David Wells was signed as a free agent with the Yankees. January 17, 2002: Clay Bellinger was released by the Yankees. January 28, 2002: Ron Coomer was signed as a free agent with the Yankees. March 27, 2002: Bobby Estalella was released by the Yankees.Bobby Estalella Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
Broadcasting changes Beginning this season, the newly launched YES Network began airing regular season games, taking over from MSG Network, cable rights holder for these games until the 2001 season. The on-air team of Ken Singleton and Jim Kaat was moved from MSG to YES beginning this season, while Michael Kay joined as play-by-play commentator beginning this season in addition to radio duties, and they also added retired right fielder Paul O'Neill and former Yankees pitcher David Cone as color commentators; in addition, the over-the-air Yankees games were moved from Fox owned and operated station WNYW to CBS owned and operated station WCBS-TV; Bobby Murcer remained as a play-by-play announcer for the games on over-the-air television. Also beginning this season, the radio broadcasts of Yankees games moved from WABC-AM to CBS Radio-owned AM station WCBS-AM which was a sibling to TV over-the-air rights holder WCBS-TV.
Regular season
Opening Day starters
Season standings
American League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions April 8, 2002: Bill Pulsipher was signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees.Bill Pulsipher Statistics Baseball-Reference.com May 23, 2002: Bill Pulsipher was released by the New York Yankees. July 1, 2002: Raúl Mondesí was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Yankees for Scott Wiggins.Raúl Mondesí Statistics Baseball-Reference.com July 5, 2002: Ted Lilly was traded as part of a 3-team trade by the New York Yankees with Jason Arnold (minors) and John-Ford Griffin to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent a player to be named later, Carlos Peña, and Franklyn Germán to the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Tigers sent Jeff Weaver to the New York Yankees. The Detroit Tigers sent cash to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent Jeremy Bonderman (August 22, 2002) to the Detroit Tigers to complete the trade.Ted Lilly Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
Roster 2002 New York Yankees Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches (Hitting) (First Base) (Bullpen) (Third Base) (Pitching) (Bench)
Game log Legend Yankees Win Yankees Loss Game postponed
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 1 || @ Orioles || 3–10 || Erickson (1–0) || Clemens (0–1) || — || Oriole Park at Camden Yards || 48,058 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 3 || @ Orioles || 1–0 || Wells (1–0) || Johnson (0–1) || Rivera (1) || Oriole Park at Camden Yards || 32,142 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 4 || @ Orioles || 4–1 || Mussina (1–0) || Ponson (0–1) || Rivera (2) || Oriole Park at Camden Yards || 33,317 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || April 5 || Devil Rays || 4–0 || Pettitte (1–0) || Kennedy (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 55,771 || 3–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 6 || Devil Rays || 3–0 || O. Hernandez (1–0) || Alvarez (0–1) || Rivera (3) || Yankee Stadium || 39,093 || 4–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || April 7 || Devil Rays || 7–2 || Clemens (1–1) || Sturtze (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 37,343 || 5–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 8 || @ Blue Jays || 16–3 || Wells (2–0) || Prokopec (0–1) || — || SkyDome || 16,073 || 6–1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 9 || @ Blue Jays || 5–2 || Mussina (2–0) || Plesac (0–1) || Rivera (4) || SkyDome || 18,003 || 7–1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 10 || @ Blue Jays || 7–9 || Borbon (1–0) || Lilly (0–1) || Escobar (1) || SkyDome || 19,124 || 7–2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || @ Blue Jays || 3–11 || Eyre (1–0) || Clemens (1–2) || — || SkyDome || 20,091 || 7–3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 12 || @ Red Sox || 2–3 || Oliver (1–0) || O. Hernandez (1–1) || Urbina (4) || Fenway Park || 32,812 || 7–4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 13 || @ Red Sox || 6–7 || Arrojo (1–0) || Rivera (0–1) || Urbina (5) || Fenway Park || 33,756 || 7–5 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || April 14 || @ Red Sox || 6–2 || Mussina (3–0) || Wakefield (1–1) || Rivera (5) || Fenway Park || 33,742 || 8–5 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 15 || @ Red Sox || 3–4 || Lowe (2–1) || Pettitte (1–1) || Urbina (6) || Fenway Park || 33,864 || 8–6 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 16 || Orioles || 4–5 || Bauer (1–0) || Mendoza (0–1) || Julio (1) || Yankee Stadium || 33,721 || 8–7 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 17 || Orioles || 7–1 || O. Hernandez (2–1) || Towers (0–3) || — || Yankee Stadium || 27,912 || 9–7 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 18 || Orioles || 8–4 || Wells (3–0) || Erickson (1–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 35,212 || 10–7 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 19 || Blue Jays || 6–5 || Rivera (1–1) || File (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 36,136 || 11–7 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 20 || Blue Jays || 4–5 || Plesac (1–1) || Mendoza (0–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 39,265 || 11–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 21 || Blue Jays || 9–2 || Clemens (2–2) || Carpenter (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 43,309 || 12–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || April 23 || @ Athletics || 2–1 || O. Hernandez (3–1) || Hudson (2–2) || Rivera (6) || Network Associates Coliseum || 40,360 || 13–8 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || April 24 || @ Athletics || 8–5 || Stanton (1–0) || Magnante (0–1) || Rivera (7) || Network Associates Coliseum || 54,513 || 13–9 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 25 || @ Athletics || 2–6 || Zito (1–1) || Mussina (3–1) || — || Network Associates Coliseum || 31,870 || 14–9 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || April 26 || @ Mariners || 7–1 || Clemens (3–2) || Baldwin (2–1) || — || Safeco Field || 45,814 || 15–9 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || April 27 || @ Mariners || 0–1 || Garcia (3–2) || Lilly (0–2) || Sasaki (7) || Safeco Field || 46,047 || 15–10 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || April 28 || @ Mariners || 4–3 || Karsay (1–0) || Rhodes (1–1) || Rivera (8) || Safeco Field || 46,115 || 16–10 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || April 30 || Athletics || 8–2 || Wells (4–0) || Zito (1–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 32,888 || 17–10
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 1 || Athletics || 1–4 || Hiljus (3–1) || Mussina (3–2) || Koch (6) || Yankee Stadium || 31,006 || 17–11 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || May 2 || Athletics || 9–2 || Clemens (4–2) || Lidle (1–4) || — || Yankee Stadium || 30,463 || 18–11 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 3 || Mariners || 2–6 || Garcia (4–2) || Lilly (0–3) || — || Yankee Stadium || 47,918 || 18–12 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 4 || Mariners || 5–9 || Nelson (1–0) || Karsay (1–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 52,081 || 18–13 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 5 || Mariners || 6–10 || Pineiro (2–0) || Wells (4–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 48,176 || 18–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 || May 7 || @ Devil Rays || 5–2 || Mussina (4–2) || Wilson (1–3) || Rivera (9) || Tropicana Field || 15,031 || 19–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || May 8 || @ Devil Rays || 7–2 || Clemens (5–2) || James (0–3) || — || Tropicana Field || 15,263 || 20–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 9 || @ Devil Rays || 3–1 || O. Hernandez (4–1) || Kennedy (1–3) || Rivera (10) || Tropicana Field || 16,013 || 21–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 10 || @ Twins || 5–3 || Wells (5–1) || Milton (4–3) || Rivera (11) || Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome || 35,727 || 22–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 11 || @ Twins || 4–2 || Stanton (2–0) || Guardado (0–1) || Rivera (12) || Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome || 43,265 || 23–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 12 || @ Twins || 10–4 || Mussina (5–2) || Reed (4–2) || — || Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome || 26,165 || 24–14 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 || May 14 || Devil Rays || 10–3 || Clemens (6–2) || Harper (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 29,503 || 25–14 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 15 || Devil Rays || 7–10 || Kennedy (2–3) || O. Hernandez (4–2) || Yan (6) || Yankee Stadium || 26,571 || 25–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 16 || Devil Rays || 13–0 || Wells (6–1) || Rupe (3–5) || — || Yankee Stadium || 32,695 || 26–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 17 || Twins || 13–12 || Hitchcock (1–0) || Trombley (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 39,470 || 27–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 43 || May 18 || Twins || 6–2 || Lilly (1–3) || Fiore (2–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 46,057 || 28–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 19 || Twins || 3–0 || Clemens (7–2) || Kinney (1–4) || Rivera (13) || Yankee Stadium || 53,662 || 29–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 20 || Blue Jays || 6–3 || Mendoza (1–2) || Heredia (0–1) || Rivera (14) || Yankee Stadium || 30,657 || 30–15 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 21 || Blue Jays || 4–1 || Mussina (6–2) || Prokopec (2–6) || Karsay (1) || Yankee Stadium || 26,531 || 31–15 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 22 || Blue Jays || 3–8 || Halladay (5–1) || A. Hernandez (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 44,284 || 31–16 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || May 23 || @ Red Sox || 1–3 || Martinez (7–0) || Lilly (1–4) || Urbina (15) || Fenway Park || 33,884 || 31–17 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 24 || @ Red Sox || 8–9 || Arrojo (3–1) || Karsay (1–2) || — || Fenway Park || 34,175 || 31–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 50 || May 25 || @ Red Sox || 3–2 || Mendoza (2–2) || Lowe (7–2) || Rivera (15) || Fenway Park || 33,743 || 32–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 51 || May 26 || @ Red Sox || 14–5 || Mussina (7–2) || Oliver (4–4) || — || Fenway Park || 34,096 || 33–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || May 27 || @ White Sox || 10–6 || Thurman (1–0) || Wright (5–5) || — || Comiskey Park || 43,781 || 34–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || May 28 || @ White Sox || 4–2 || Lilly (2–4) || Garland (5–4) || Rivera (16) || Comiskey Park || 27,859 || 35–18 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 54 || May 29 || @ White Sox || 6–3 || Karsay (2–2) || Foulke (0–3) || Rivera (17) || Comiskey Park || 27,572 || 36–18 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || May 31 || Red Sox || 2–5 || Lowe (8–2) || Wells (6–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 52,941 || 36–19
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 || June 1 || Red Sox || 10–2 || Mussina (8–2) || Oliver (4–5) || — || Yankee Stadium || 55,699 || 37–19 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 57 || June 2 || Red Sox || 1–7 || Castillo (4–5) || Lilly (2–5) || — || Yankee Stadium || 55,602 || 37–20 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 58 || June 3 || Orioles || 3–4 || Julio (3–4) || Rivera (1–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 31,476 || 37–21 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 4 || Orioles || 13–5 || Mendoza (3–2) || Erickson (3–6) || — || Yankee Stadium || 32,214 || 38–21 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 60 || June 5 || Orioles || 3–4 || Driskill (3–0) || Wells (6–3) || Julio (10) || Yankee Stadium || 26,506 || 38–22 |- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | – || June 6 || Orioles || colspan=8|Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for September 10 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 61 || June 7 || Giants || 2–1 || Mussina (9–2) || Hernandez (5–6) || Rivera (18) || Yankee Stadium || 55,053 || 39–22