New York Yankees end 17th straight season without World Series title
Aaron Judge and New York completed a three-game sweep loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday night. The outcome left the club without a championship for another year and eliminated them from the playoffs. An opponent celebrated on their home infield in October for the third straight year.
Judge addressed the team standard following the AL Division Series defeat.
“There’s a standard to winning a championship. It’s black and white. There’s no gray area,” Judge said. “It’s every day you show up to work, every little thing you do is, are you working towards a championship or you’re not?”
New York ranked fourth in runs and second in OPS through May 31. Judge then went on the injured list with a fractured rib. The team dropped to 24th in runs from June 1 through the end of the season.
Judge returned for seven games in September before a calf strain ended his year. The team swept Boston in two games during the Wild Card Series. Tampa Bay then outscored New York 10-5 in the AL Division Series.
Manager Aaron Boone spoke about playing without his three-time AL MVP.
“Look, it’s Aaron Judge, the greatest player in the world,” Boone said. “And that’s a huge, huge person to be missing.”
Ten players face potential free agency
Ten players on the roster could reach free agency this offseason:
- David Bednar
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.
- Trent Grisham
- Paul Goldschmidt
- Amed Rosario
- Tim Hill
- Ryan Yarbrough
- Paul Blackburn
- John Schreiber
- Michael Fulmer
Chisholm sat for Game 3 in New York against the Rays as Anthony Volpe started. Chisholm said he learned about the move directly from the lineup card.
“This is where I want to be,” Chisholm said. “I love it as a Yankee. I grew up as a Yankee fan, getting from the Bahamas, watching Derek Jeter and those guys every day. It was a great time being a Yankee. I loved my time (with the) Yankees.”
General manager Brian Cashman finished his 29th season at the post. George Steinbrenner bought the club in January 1973. Cashman became the 15th general manager under that ownership group in February 1998.
Boone completed his ninth season as manager with a 790-565 career record. He agreed to a two-year extension in February 2025. He holds a 27-30 postseason record with three first-place finishes in the AL East.
Payroll figures and off-season roster plans
The club carried a $303 million payroll to begin the season. Attendance reached nearly 3.3 million fans across 80 home dates in New York. That attendance figure ranked fourth across Major League Baseball.
Judge said he wants controlling owner Hal Steinbrenner to pursue top roster talent.
“We’re the Yankees. I feel like they should go all in and do what they need to do and find , if we’ve got holes, if it’s finding certain players or personnel, whatever we need, you’ve got to go out there and get it,” Judge said. “That’s why I signed back here to play with the Yankees , is to fight for a championship every single year and to go all-in. That’s what I do every offseason, is get ready to give this team and this city everything I’ve got, so I expect them to do the same.”
Right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler posted a 14-6 record with 239 strikeouts. The 25-year-old recorded an AL-best 1.95 ERA over 193 2/3 innings.
“We didn’t meet the expectations of the fans and this organization,” Schlittler said. “There’s a certain standard of being a Yankee and we didn’t fulfill that.”
Major League Baseball teams participate in division series rounds to determine league championship contenders. Front offices evaluate expiring contracts and coaching staffs once elimination takes place in the postseason.
The front office now faces roster decisions ahead of the upcoming winter market.
