The 2019 New York Yankees season was the 117th season for the New York Yankees franchise in Major League Baseball. The Yankees played in Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, and were managed by Aaron Boone in his second season as manager.
The Yankees won the American League East for the first time since the 2012 season, clinching the division with a 9–1 win over the Angels at home on September 19. In the postseason, they swept the Minnesota Twins in the Division Series, but lost the American League Championship Series to the Houston Astros in six games.
This marked the first calendar decade since the 1910s in which the team failed to make a single World Series appearance. It also was the first calendar decade since the 1910s in which no New York City team won the World Series.
The Yankees set a new MLB record by homering in 139 of their regular season games, surpassing the previous record held jointly by the 2012 and 2018 Yankees. Through most of the season, the Yankees competed with the Astros and Dodgers for the best record in baseball, but they lost 4 of their final 5 regular season games, finishing 4 and 3 games behind both teams, respectively.
Offseason Transactions 2018 October 31 – Brett Gardner re-signs with the Yankees after his club option in his previous contract was denied. His new contract is a one-year, $9.5 million deal. November 7 – CC Sabathia re-signs for his final season with the Yankees, inking a one-year, $8 million deal. November 19 – The Yankees trade minor league prospects Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson and Dom Thompson-Williams to the Seattle Mariners for LHP James Paxton. December 17 – J. A. Happ signs a two-year, $34 million contract with the Yankees. This deal goes through the 2020 season and includes a vesting option for 2021.
2019 January 3 – Troy Tulowitzki signs the league-minimum one-year, $555,000 contract with the Yankees. He will still receive $38 million over two years from the Toronto Blue Jays due to his conditional release on December 11, 2018. January 11 – Zack Britton signs a three-year, $39 million contract with the Yankees. The deal goes through 2021 and has a team option for 2022, which is worth $14 million. Britton can opt-out of the contract after 2020 if the Yankees choose not to exercise the 2022 option. January 14 – DJ LeMahieu signs a two-year, $24 million contract with the Yankees. He is expected to be used at shortstop and third base as well as second base, his natural position. January 21 – The Yankees trade RHP Sonny Gray and LHP Reiver Sanmartin to the Cincinnati Reds for minor league 2B Shed Long and a competitive balance pick in the 2019 MLB draft. Long was then traded to the Seattle Mariners for minor league OF Josh Stowers. January 24 – Adam Ottavino signs a three-year, $27 million contract with the Yankees. He is the first person in franchise history to wear the uniform number 0. February 15 – Luis Severino signs a four-year contract extension, avoiding salary arbitration. The deal includes a club option for the 2023 season. He is guaranteed $40 million and will make an additional $12.25 million if the option is exercised. February 25 – Aaron Hicks signs a seven-year, $70 million contract extension with a $12.5 million club option for 2026, a $1 million buyout and a $2 million signing bonus. This deal replaces the previous one-year, $6 million deal announced on January 11.
Spring training The Yankees began their spring training on February 13, when pitchers and catchers reported. Their first spring training game was against the Boston Red Sox on February 23, in which they lost 5–8. They ended spring training with an exhibition game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on March 25 in which they lost 3–5. Overall, they went 17–10–4, good for first place in the Grapefruit League.
Regular season
Key dates March 28: Opening Day vs. Baltimore Orioles June 29–30: 2019 MLB London Series vs. Boston Red Sox July 8–11: All-Star Break July 9: All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio September 22: Final regular season game at home vs. Toronto Blue Jays September 29: Final regular season game vs. Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington
Opening Day The Yankees began the regular season against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on March 28, in which the Yankees won 7–2. Masahiro Tanaka pitched innings and allowed 6 hits and 2 runs while striking out 5 in his first opening day victory.
Opening Day lineup +Opening Day startersName Position Brett Gardner Center fieldAaron Judge Right fieldGiancarlo Stanton Left fieldLuke Voit Designated hitterMiguel Andújar Third baseGary Sánchez CatcherGreg Bird First baseGleyber Torres Second baseTroy Tulowitzki Shortstop
Line score
March/April March 28–31, vs. Baltimore Orioles After winning the season opener 7–2, the Yankees went on to lose the next two games against division rivals Orioles. In the second game of the season, offseason signing James Paxton's debut on the mound ended with a 5–3 loss. Errors and a poor start by the Yankees offense cost them the game. The Yanks didn't bounce back the following day, in a game that was delayed more than three hours because of rain. J. A. Happ took his first loss at the Yankee Stadium since August 2013 as the offense failed to capitalize on numerous run opportunities. New York lost their second game in a row, 7–5, as well as the opening series against the O's. Over the two final games, the Yankees went 5 for 21 with runners in scoring position, stranding 25 men on base.
Yankees lost the series 1–2 (15–14 runs)
April 1–3, vs. Detroit Tigers The Yankees started their second season series with a 3–1 win against Detroit. Shortly before the game started, the team added their star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and third baseman Miguel Andújar to an already filled up injury list. Andújar was diagnosed with a torn labrum, which could need surgery in the following weeks. The remaining Yankees defeated the Tigers, majorly thanks to a stellar diving catch by Aaron Judge in the eighth inning, when they were in jeopardy of losing their shy lead. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said the play was the turning point of the game. The pinstripes fared less well in the remaining two games, losing them both by a narrow score. On April 2, with the game tied at 1 in the top of the ninth inning, Dustin Peterson's double gave the Tigers the lead against the Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, in what was the first hit of his career. Detroit went on to win that one 3–1. In the final game of the series, the Yankees lost 2–1 to a dominating performance by left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd, who struck out a career-high 13 batters in innings.
Yankees lost the series 1–2 (5–6 runs)
April 4–7, at Baltimore Orioles New York swept the Orioles at Camden Yards in their second meeting of the season, delivering a total of 14 home runs—seven of which in the last game alone. The Yankees had a rough start of the first game, but were rescued by Gleyber Torres to produce an 8–4 victory. Trailing by a score of 3–0, Torres homered a ball into the left field to get the Yankees in the scoreboard. Later on, trailing by 4–2 and with two men on base, Torres homered again to take the lead. In the second game of the series the Yankees won 6–4, as Aaron Judge homered twice and Clint Frazier hit a three-run homer to retake the lead. The Yanks claimed the series sweep in a 15–3 blowout, once again steampowered by home runs. Gary Sánchez homered thrice and had the opportunity for a fourth home run, a rare feat only accomplished by 18 players in MLB to date.
Yankees won the series 3–0 (29–11 runs)
April 8–10, at Houston Astros The Yankees got swept by the Astros at Minute Maid Park for the first time in history. Despite getting on the scoreboard first in all three games of the series, New York suffered from mistakes in the field and subpar pitching. In the 8th inning of game 1, Carlos Correa hit off Adam Ottavino, who had not allowed a run yet in the season, to give Houston what would be the definitive lead, 4–3. The next day, the Yankees announced pitcher Luis Severino had strained a right latissimus dorsi muscle and would not return to the mound until about late June, another addition to the Yanks million-dollar worth injured list. A mistake by Brett Gardner in the third inning, who stopped running to first base assuming the ball had been foul, allowed a double play by the Astros. Moreover, Clint Frazier missed multiple diving catches, and relief pitcher Chad Green allowed a two-run double to George Springer in the eighth inning. The Yanks lost that one 6–3 after being ahead twice. Finally, the Yankees could not avoid the sweep in an 8–6 loss where a late rally by New York fell short. Having cut the deficit from 2–7 to 6–7 in the top of the eighth, a bad throw by Gleyber Torres fostered an Astros run to seal the game and the series.
Yankees lost the series 0–3 (12–18 runs)
April 12–14, vs. Chicago White Sox Back at Yankee Stadium, New York lost yet another series, to the White Sox. Prior to the first game, Gary Sánchez became the 12th player on the Yankees injured list, the most of any team in the major leagues. Later, a rain-shortened 9–6 loss became the Yankees' fourth in a row, and J. A. Happ's second of the season, who allowed nine hits and six runs in just four innings pitched. Eloy Jiménez, one of the top prospects in baseball, threw his first two career home runs to give Chicago the game, declared official after the top seventh. New York bounced back in the second game of the series with a 4–0 win. CC Sabathia returned after recovery from heart surgery and debuted at the mound in his 19th and final season. He allowed a single hit in five innings and kept the White Sox off the scoreboard. However, Chicago claimed the series on the following day with a 5–2 win over the Yankees. Tim Anderson scored the first grand slam of his career when the White Sox were trailing by 2 to take the lead.
Yankees lost the series 1–2 (12–14 runs)
April 16–17, vs. Boston Red Sox In their first meeting of the season, the Yankees swept their longtime rivals and reigning World Series champions in a two-game series. One day before the series started, the pinstripes added another player to the injured list, first baseman Greg Bird. The first game was an 8–0 shutout by the Yankees, with a dominating James Paxton who struck out 12 Red Sox batters and allowed only two hits over eight innings. Meanwhile, Boston ace pitcher Chris Sale allowed seven hits and four runs in five innings and collected his fourth loss of the season. The second game was closer, and an early 3–0 lead by the Red Sox menaced with evening the series. However, a Brett Gardner go-ahead grand slam in the bottom seventh, which was his 100th career home run, gave the Yanks the definitive lead, 5–3. Tommy Kahnle was credited with his first win of the season and Aroldis Chapman made his third save.
Yankees won the series 2–0 (13–3 runs)
April 18–21, vs. Kansas City Royals The Yankees won the four-game series against Kansas City to reclaim an over .500 winning percentage, although star outfielder Aaron Judge was injured in the third game.
Yankees won the series 3–1 (23–16 runs)
April 22–25, at Los Angeles Angels The Yankees started their road trip to the West Coast at Angel Stadium, where they won their third series in a row.
Yankees won the series 3–1 (22–24 runs)
April 26–28, at San Francisco Giants New York got the sweep against San Francisco in a three-game series at Oracle Park.
Yankees won the series 3–0 (24–12 runs)
April 30 – May 1, at Arizona Diamondbacks The Diamondbacks swept the Yankees in a two-game series at their home stadium. CC Sabathia became the 17th pitcher to collect 3,000 or more strikeouts in a career in the first game.
Yankees lost the series 0–2 (3–6 runs)
May May 3–5, vs. Minnesota Twins The Yankees won two out of three games in a series against the Minnesota Twins.