New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone knows his team this season is special, and not just because of the wins and losses. Boone says this club may be the best among teams he has managed in the past.
“Look we’ve had some special, talented teams since I’ve been here,” Boone said, per USA Today. “But the culture in this clubhouse, the way they act, the way they care about each other, this team takes the cake.”
The Yankees are having one heck of a season through the first few months. The Bronx Bombers are atop the American League East heading into June, with an impressive 41-19 record.
How the Yankees have done it so far this year
The Yankees are trying their best to stay close this season. This is a primary reason for their success so far, according to several of the players.
“In spring training, everything just gelled together so organically, so nice,” Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes said, per USA Today. “We knew who Juan Soto was. We knew who Verdugo was. We knew who Stroman was. But we didn’t know how it would relate in the clubhouse.
“But we had so much fun in the spring, we couldn’t wait for the season to start. There was just a different vibe. We were excited knowing this had a chance to be a special year.”
New York certainly plays as if they are a close-knit group of players. The team rushed to the defense of Aaron Judge, who was booed at Yankee Stadium in April following a very sluggish start. Judge's bat has since erupted, as the slugger went on a tear hitting home runs in four consecutive games in May. Judge has now hit a total of 21 homers this year.
Judge's bat is helping push the Yankees to the top of an important list. The team now leads the MLB in homers this season, through Friday's games. The Bronx Bombers have smashed 86, with Judge and Juan Soto clearing the bases consistently. The Yankees' pitching has also been stellar, with a league-low 2.75 ERA. The Yankees are the only team in baseball with an ERA under three, per USA Today. The Big Apple's American League team is making the case they are the most complete and consistent team in Major League Baseball this year.
The Yankees are also playing to avenge last season. The team finished the year with an 82-80 record, and missed the American League playoffs. While those numbers are respectable overall, they are certainly unacceptable to the team that many consider the gold standard in baseball.
“When you wear the pinstripes, and play in New York, you’re expected to win. I think this going into camp we said, ‘Hey, we got to do it. We’ve got to go out there and grind and show people what we can do,'” Aaron Judge said, per USA Today.
The Bronx Bombers are back in action Sunday, taking on the San Francisco Giants. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 Eastern.
