The 2021 New York Yankees season was the 119th season for the New York Yankees franchise.
They opened the season on April 1 with a 3–2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, with the crowd at only 20% capacity, and closed the season on October 3 with 1–0 defeat of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees entered the season expecting to contend for the World Series, but underperformed and went 41–41, with 80 games left to play on July 4. They then went 51–29 in their final 80 games, including a season-high 13 game winning streak, their longest since 1961. On October 3, the Yankees clinched a Wild Card berth in the season's final game with a 1–0 win against the Tampa Bay Rays. Finishing the regular season with a 92–70 record, they qualified for the postseason as the fifth seed in the American League (AL), but lost the AL Wild Card Game to the fourth-seed Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on October 5 - their fifth consecutive playoff exit.
A full crowd at Globe Life Field saw starting pitcher Corey Kluber throw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on May 19.
The Yankees turned an 'around-the-horn' triple play on May 21 against the Chicago White Sox starting with third baseman Gio Urshela to second baseman Rougned Odor and then to first baseman Luke Voit. Then on June 17, against the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, New York, the Yankees turned the first 1-3-6-2-5-6 triple play in major league history (and thus became the first Yankees team to turn more than one triple play in a season). On June 20, they turned their record-tying third triple play of the season, stranding the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Oakland Athletics.
From September 6–9, the Yankees lost a 4-game series to the Toronto Blue Jays without ever holding a lead in any game, the first time since 1924 that a Yankee team had ever done so in the regular season.
Offseason Transactions 2020
December 2 – Luis Cessa re-signs with the Yankees on a 1-year, $1 million contract.
2021 January 6 – acquired outfielder Greg Allen from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for James Reeves. January 24 – acquired starting pitcher Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four prospects (Miguel Yajure, Roansy Contreras, Maikol Escotto, and Canaan Smith). January 27 – signed right-handed starting pitcher Corey Kluber to a one-year, $11 million contract. January 27 – DJ LeMahieu re-signs with the Yankees on a six-year, $90 million contract. February 10 – signed sidearm right-handed pitcher Darren O'Day to a one-year, $1.75 million contract . February 22 – Brett Gardner re-signs with the Yankees on a one-year, $4 million contract. February 23 – signed left-handed pitcher Justin Wilson to a one-year, $4 million contract.
Regular season
Transactions
2021 April 6 – acquired second baseman Rougned Odor from the Texas Rangers in a trade along with cash considerations and minor league outfielders Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers. April 27 – acquired left-handed pitcher Wandy Peralta and infielder Connor Cannon from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for outfielder Mike Tauchman. July 1 – acquired outfielder Tim Locastro from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league right-handed pitcher Keegan Curtis. July 26 – acquired right-handed relief pitcher Clay Holmes from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league infielders Diego Castillo and Hoy Park. July 27 – traded relievers Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later. July 29 – acquired outfielder Joey Gallo and left-handed relief pitcher Joely Rodríguez from the Texas Rangers for minor league prospects: Ezequiel Duran, Trevor Hauver, Glenn Otto and Josh Smith. July 29 – acquired first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs for minor league right-handed pitcher Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantara. The Yankees also acquired cash considerations ($5.5 million), and the remaining balance of Rizzo's $16.5 million salary this season. July 30 – acquired left-handed starting pitcher Andrew Heaney from the Los Angeles Angels and cash considerations for minor league right-handed pitcher Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero.
Season standings American League East
American League Wild Card
Record against opponents
Yankees team leaders Batting Hits DJ LeMahieu 160 Batting average Aaron Judge .287 RBIs 98 Home runs 39 Runs scored 89 Stolen bases Tyler Wade 17Pitching Wins Gerrit Cole 16 ERA Gerrit Cole 3.23 WHIP 1.06 Strikeouts Gerrit Cole 243 Saves Aroldis Chapman 30
Updated through game of September 30.
Minimum 3.1 plate appearances per team games played AVG qualified batters: Judge, Stanton, LeMahieu
Minimum 1 inning pitched per team games played ERA & WHIP qualified pitchers: Cole
Game log On November 23, MLB announced that the Yankees would face the Chicago White Sox in the first MLB at Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa on August 12. This game was originally scheduled for August 13, 2020. Yankees went on to lose the game 9–8.
Legend Yankees win Yankees loss PostponementBoldYankees team member
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1 || April 1 || Blue Jays || 2–3 || Romano (1–0) || Nelson (0–1) || Merryweather (1) || Yankee Stadium || 10,850 || 0–1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 2 || April 3 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Loáisiga (1–0) || Stripling (0–1) || Green (1) || Yankee Stadium || 10,107 || 1–1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 3 || April 4 || Blue Jays || 1–3 || Borucki (1–0) || Germán (0–1) || Merryweather (2) || Yankee Stadium || 10,066 || 1–2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 4 || April 5 || Orioles || 7–0 || Montgomery (1–0) || López (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 9,008 || 2–2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 5 || April 6 || Orioles || 7–2 || Cole (1–0) || Kremer (0–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 9,404 || 3–2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 6 || April 7 || Orioles || 3–4 || Valdez (1–0) || Green (0–1) || Fry (1) || Yankee Stadium || 10,254 || 3–3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 9 || @ Rays || 5–10 || Hill (1–0) || Kluber (0–1) || — || Tropicana Field || 9,021 || 3–4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 8 || April 10 || @ Rays || 0–4 || Kittredge (2–0) || Germán (0–2) || — || Tropicana Field || 6,270 || 3–5 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 9 || April 11 || @ Rays || 8–4 || Chapman (1–0) || McHugh (0–1) || — || Tropicana Field || 6,965 || 4–5 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 10 || April 12 || @ Blue Jays || 3–1 || Cole (2–0) || Ray (0–1) || Chapman (1) || TD Ballpark || 1,576 || 5–5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 11 || April 13 || @ Blue Jays || 3–7 || Ryu (1–1) || Taillon (0–1) || — || TD Ballpark || 1,550 || 5–6 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 12 || April 14 || @ Blue Jays || 4–5 || Dolis (1–0) || Green (0–2) || — || TD Ballpark || 1,613 || 5–7 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 13 || April 16 || Rays || 2–8 || Wacha (1–1) || Nelson (0–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 10,202 || 5–8 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 14 || April 17 || Rays || 3–6 || Glasnow (2–0) || Montgomery (1–1) || Castillo (4) || Yankee Stadium || 10,583 || 5–9 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 15 || April 18 || Rays || 2–4 || Yarbrough (1–2) || Cole (2–1) || Springs (1) || Yankee Stadium || 10,606 || 5–10 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 16 || April 20 || Braves || 3–1 || Loáisiga (2–0) || Matzek (0–2) || Chapman (2) || Yankee Stadium || 10,017 || 6–10 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || April 21 || Braves || 1–4 || Anderson (1–0) || Kluber (0–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 9,634 || 6–11 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 18 || April 22 || @ Indians || 6–3 || Germán (1–2) || Wittgren (0–1) || Chapman (3) || Progressive Field || 6,380 || 7–11 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 19 || April 23 || @ Indians || 5–3 || Luetge (1–0) || Allen (1–3) || Chapman (4) || Progressive Field || 8,662 || 8–11 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 20 || April 24 || @ Indians || 2–1 || Cole (3–1) || Bieber (2–2) || Loáisiga (1) || Progressive Field || 8,817 || 9–11 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 21 || April 25 || @ Indians || 3–7 || Hentges (1–0) || Taillon (0–2) || — || Progressive Field || 8,766 || 9–12 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || April 26 || @ Orioles || 2–4 || Harvey (2–1) || García (0–1) || Valdez (5) || Camden Yards || 6,367 || 9–13 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 23 || April 27 || @ Orioles || 5–1 || Kluber (1–2) || Zimmermann (1–3) || — || Camden Yards || 6,662 || 10–13 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 24 || April 28 || @ Orioles || 7–0 || Germán (2–2) || Kremer (0–2) || — || Camden Yards || 7,338 || 11–13 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 25 || April 29 || @ Orioles || 3–4 || Scott (1–2) || Loáisiga (2–1) || — || Camden Yards || 7,738 || 11–14 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 26 || April 30 || Tigers || 10–0 || Cole (4–1) || Skubal (0–4) || — || Yankee Stadium || 9,523 || 12–14
|- style="background:#bfb;" | 27 || May 1 || Tigers || 6–4 || Taillon (1–2) || Turnbull (1–2) || Chapman (5) || Yankee Stadium || 10,015 || 13–14 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 2 || Tigers || 2–0 || Kluber (2–2) || Ureña (1–4) || Chapman (6) || Yankee Stadium || 10,021 || 14–14 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 29 || May 4 || Astros || 7–3 || Luetge (2–0) || Bielak (1–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 10,850 || 15–14 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 5 || Astros || 6–3 || Loáisiga (3–1) || Raley (0–2) || Chapman (7) || Yankee Stadium || 9,895 || 16–14 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 6 || Astros || 4–7 || Scrubb (1–0) || Green (0–3) || Pressly (5) || Yankee Stadium || 10,042 || 16–15 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 32 || May 7 || Nationals || 4–11 || Finnegan (2–0) || Loáisiga (3–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 10,010 || 16–16 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 8 || Nationals || 4–3 || Wilson (1–0) || Rainey (0–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 10,850 || 17–16 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 9 || Nationals || 3–2 || Chapman (2–0) || Hand (2–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 10,092 || 18–16 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 35 || May 11 || @ Rays || 3–1 || Montgomery (2–1) || Patiño (1–1) || Chapman (8) || Tropicana Field || 5,441 || 19–16 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 36 || May 12 || @ Rays || 1–0 || Cole (5–1) || Thompson (2–2) || Chapman (9) || Tropicana Field || 5,668 || 20–16 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 13 || @ Rays || 1–9 || Hill (2–1) || Taillon (1–3) || — || Tropicana Field || 6,229 || 20–17 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 38 || May 14 || @ Orioles || 5–4 || Kluber (3–2) || Lakins (1–4) || Loáisiga (2) || Camden Yards || 10,809 || 21–17 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 39 || May 15 || @ Orioles || 8–2 || Germán (3–2) || López (1–4) || — || Camden Yards || 10,767 || 22–17 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 40 || May 16 || @ Orioles || 6–10 || Zimmermann (2–3) || King (0–1) || — || Camden Yards || 11,070 || 22–18 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 41 || May 17 || @ Rangers || 2–5 || Lyles (2–3) || Cole (5–2) || Kennedy (11) || Globe Life Field || 28,040 || 22–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 42 || May 18 || @ Rangers || 7–4 || Peralta (1–0) || Foltynewicz (1–4) || Chapman (10) || Globe Life Field || 26,522 || 23–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 43 || May 19 || @ Rangers || 2–0 || Kluber (4–2) || Yang (0–1) || — || Globe Life Field || 31,689 || 24–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 44 || May 20 || @ Rangers || 2–0 || Germán (4–2) || King (4–3) || Chapman (11) || Globe Life Field || 27,581 || 25–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 45 || May 21 || White Sox || 2–1 || Chapman (3–0) || Marshall (1–2) || — || Yankee Stadium || 14,011 || 26–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 46 || May 22 || White Sox || 7–0 || Cole (6–2) || Cease (2–1) || — || Yankee Stadium || 14,665 || 27–19 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 47 || May 23 || White Sox || 5–4 || Chapman (4–0) || Bummer (0–3) || — || Yankee Stadium || 14,007 || 28–19 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 48 || May 25 || Blue Jays || 2–6 || Matz (6–2) || Kluber (4–3) || — || Yankee Stadium || 12,025 || 28–20 |- style="background:#bbb;" | — || May 26 || Blue Jays || colspan=7 | Postponed (Rain, Makeup May 27) |- style="background:#fbb;"