The 2020 New York Yankees season was the 118th season for the New York Yankees. The Yankees played in Yankee Stadium in The Bronx and were managed by Aaron Boone in his third season as manager.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a delayed and shortened season. On March 12, MLB announced the cancellation of the remainder of spring training and the postponement of the start of the regular season by at least two weeks. Four days later, following the CDC's recommendation against large public events, MLB announced an indefinite postponement. Finally, on June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game regular season. Players reported to training camps on July 1 to resume spring training and prepare for a July 23 Opening Day.
The Yankees began the shortened season with a hot 16–6 start, then lost 15 of their next 20 games, bringing their win-loss record to 21–21. They rebounded to finish 33–27, second place in the American League East and seven games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, but still good enough to qualify for the American League's fifth seed in the expanded postseason. The Yankees swept the Cleveland Indians in the best-of-three Wild Card Series, advancing to the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, which they lost in 5 games.
Offseason
Transactions
2019
December 11 – Gerrit Cole signs a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees, the richest contract ever given to an MLB pitcher. December 12 – Brett Gardner re-signs with the Yankees after reaching a one-year, $12.5 million deal. The deal breaks down with a $2 million signing bonus and an $8 million salary for this season. The Yankees have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $2.5 million buyout.
Regular season Transactions 2020 August 21 – acquired right-handed reliever Addison Russ from the Philadelphia Phillies, trading veteran right-handed pitcher David Hale. August 26 – acquired catcher Rob Brantly from the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
On September 17, the Yankees became the first team in MLB history to hit six plus home runs in each of their previous three games. While facing the Toronto Blue Jays in the last game of a three-game series, they hit five home runs in one inning (the fourth), tying an MLB record. This marks just the fourth time in MLB history that a team has hit six or more home runs in three consecutive games, hitting 19 total.
Highlights of the regular season included DJ LeMahieu finishing the season with a major league-leading .364 average. Luke Voit also topped the majors with 22 home runs. They are the first pair of teammates to lead MLB in batting average and home runs since Hank Aaron (.355) and Eddie Mathews (46 HR) for the 1959 Milwaukee Braves. LeMahieu is the 4th Yankee to lead the majors in hitting and the 9th Yankee to win an AL batting title. LeMahieu is also the second player ever to win a batting title in each league.
July
July 23 - July 26 vs. Washington Nationals
The 2020 New York Yankees season began on July 23 against the defending champion Washington Nationals. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole made his debut for his new team after his offseason signing where he departed from the Houston Astros. Cole recorded his first ever win in the Yankees pinstripes, going 5 innings alongside 5 strikeouts. The game was cut short due to weather, however the Yankees started the season with a 4–1 win. Yankees all-star slugger Giancarlo Stanton started the season hot with three RBIs as well as a two-run home run in the first inning off opposing ace Matt Scherzer. Game two of the series went to the Nationals, as the Yankee bats never came to life. The Yankees lost 9–2, however Giancarlo Stanton remained hot, hitting his second home run of the season. Ultimately, the Yankees won the series taking game three by a score of 3–2. Yankees pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga recorded his first start of the season, however long time reliever Chad Green was rewarded the win thanks to two late game home runs from Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres.
July 27 - July 29 vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Following the series win against the Nationals, the Yankees were slated to head north to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Ultimately these games were postponed after a number of players from the Phillies tested positive for COVID-19. The Phillies had just come off a three-game series against the Miami Marlins, in which 18 Marlins players and staff tested positive for COVID-19. Following new MLB COVID guidelines lead to the postponement of this series.
July 29–30 vs. Baltimore Orioles
In wake of the Philadelphia postponement, the Yankees traveled to downtown Baltimore to take on the Baltimore Orioles at the iconic Camden Yards. The Yankees extended their hot streak, winning both games by a score of 9-3 and 8-6 respectively. The Yankee bats were beginning to heat up in late July featuring five Yankee home runs in the two game span. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole recorded his second win of the season while Jonathan Loáisiga notched his first win as well.
July 31 - August 2 vs. Boston Red Sox
The final series in July featured the Yankees paired against the division rival Boston Red Sox. However, the series proved to be less of an even match than expected, as the Yankees took down all three games in a clean sweep. In game one, the Yankees put up 5 runs from a combined three home runs from Aaron Judge, Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner. The Yankees won this game 5–1. Game two had a very similar result as the Yankees won 5-2 off of an Aaron Judge solo HR and a Gio Urshela grand slam. The last game of the series was a much closer game, with the Yankees edging out the Red Sox 9–7. Aaron Judge continued to show off his fire power, hitting two home runs and extending his home run streak to five games. The Yankees win marked six wins in a row and put their record at 7-1 through the end of July.
August
August 3 - August 6 vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Yankees began their first series in August playing the Philadelphia Phillies who were returning from a weeklong layoff due to MLB COVID-19 protocols. The Yankees were slated to play the Phillies earlier this season, so this four-game-series was a make up from the missed series before. The Yankees made easy work of the Phillies in game one, winning 6–3. Gerrit Cole notched his third win in his third start giving up 1 earned run in six innings pitched. The next two games were a doubleheader, and due to the COVID shortened season, all doubleheaders were 7-inning-games. The Yankees split the doubleheader, losing the first game 11-7 while winning the second game 3–1. The Yankees would lose the last game of the series by a score of 5–4, putting the series record at 2-2 and the Yankees overall record at 9–3. The Yankees 9–3 record was the second best in the American League, trailing the Minnesota Twins by one game.
August 7 - August 9 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Following the split series with the Phillies, the Yankees headed down to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Game one of the series resulted in a Yankees defeat with a final score of 1–0, the sole run from this game coming from a Michael Pérez sacrifice fly in the eight inning. The next two games were played as a doubleheader in which the Yankees took the first game 8-4 and lost the second game 5–3. Both games were 7 innings as mandated by MLB's COVID-19 protocol for doubleheaders. Gerrit Cole started the first game of the doubleheader but ultimately received a no-decision which snapped a 20-game win streak dating back to the previous season. Instead, Yankees reliever Chad Green notched his second win of the season. The Yankees lost the final game of the season 4-3 due to a Michael Perez walk off single in the bottom of the 9th. The Yankees lost the series to Tampa Bay 1–3, recording their first series loss of the season and bumping their record down to 10–6 on the season.
August 11- August 12 vs Atlanta Braves
After a day of rest on August 10, the Yankees were back home to take on the 11-7 Atlanta Braves. The Yankees played a quick two-game-series against the Braves, winning both games. The first game was a high scoring affair in which the Yankees won 9-6 powered by a 3-RBI game from both Luke Voit and Mike Ford. Aaron Judge added a home run as well, but ended up leaving the game due to injury. It was also announced that Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is expected to miss 3–4 weeks due to a hamstring injury. Yankees starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery record the win and improved his record to 2–1 on the season. The following game the Yankees won 6-3 powered by a DJ LeMahieu four-hit game as well as a three-hit game from Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier in his season debut. Jonathan Loáisiga got the win in the reliever position and improved to 2–0 on the season.
August 14 - August 17 vs. Boston Red Sox
Following the series sweep of the Braves, the Boston Red Sox returned to Yankee Stadium for a four-game series. The Yankees had swept the Red Sox in their previous encounter this season, and this series was no different. The Yankees won four straight against the Red Sox and were now riding a six-game win streak through the middle stages of August. Gerrit Cole pitched a gem in game one of the series, going seven innings while allowing one earned run. Gleyber Torres went 4-4 and Mike Tauchman punched in four RBIs to lead the Yankees to a 10–3 win. The Yankees won game two 11-5 thanks to a five-RBI performance from Clint Frazier. James Paxton recorded his first win of the season. However, red-hot hitter DJ LeMahieu left the game with an apparent thumb injury. Mike Ford drove in 3 runs in game three and J. A. Happ cataloged his first win of the season as the Yankees won 4–2. To complete the sweep, the Yankees won the final game of the series 6–3; Yankees first basemen Luke Voit hit two home runs alongside three RBIs. Despite the team's injuries, the Yankees were now 16-6 - the best record in MLB.
August 18 - August 20 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The Yankees continued their homestretch against the Tampa Bay Rays, who trailed the AL East best Yankees by 2.5 games. The three-game series resulted in three Yankees losses. The Yankees lost the series opener 6–3, despite home runs from both Luke Voit and Gary Sánchez putting an end to the Yankees six-game winning streak. Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka recorded his first loss of the season, moving him to 0–1 on the season. Gerrit Cole pitched game two of the series, recording his second no decision of the year. Cole allowed two home runs to Tampa Bay Rays players, and the Yankees went on to lose the game 2–4. The Yankees lost the final game of the series 10–5, allowing the Rays to pass the Yankees for the lead in the division. Luke Voit remained very hot, hitting his 10th home run of the season, tying him for the AL lead in home runs hit with Mike Trout. In their seven games played against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees are 1–6.
August 21 - August 23 vs. New York Mets
The much anticipated Subway Series between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets was inevitably postponed due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the Mets organization. Out of precaution, the three-game series was delayed and to be played later in the season.
August 26 vs. Atlanta Braves