The New York Yankees are the biggest franchise in Major League Baseball, and have many legendary teams to boast of in their 116-year history. They are the most successful team in MLB history with 27 World Series titles
However, the Bronx Bombers have had to endure a lengthened stint of disappointment since the start of the 2010s. New York fans have had to endure a 13-year World Series title drought.
The 2022 MLB season presents another shot at glory for one of the most prestigious franchises in all of sports. They started the season on the right note with 56 wins out of a possible 76, but are currently on a poor run of form, with only three wins in their last 10 games and a current 71-40 record.
Should this be a cause for concern? The oddsmakers still have them as top two favorites to win the World Series. The MLB odds on FanDuel Sportsbook has the Yankees at +380 just slightly below the Dodgers.
Will the 2022 New York Yankees eventually earn a seat among the top 10 greatest Yankees teams in franchise history? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, we decided to make our list of the 10 best Yankees teams of all time. Here they are:
The 1954 New York Yankees
Regular season: 156 game
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This team racked up 103 wins in 156 games and registered a .630 winning percentage under head coach Casey Stengel. The 1954 squad boasted legendary players in catcher Yogi Berra who won the league MVP that year, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, and Gil McDougald.
Unfortunately, the team was eight games shy of making the World Series, behind the Cleveland Browns in eight games.
The 2019 New York Yankees
Regular season: 165
The 2019 MLB season was heartbreaking for Yankees fans and is definitely still fresh in their hearts. It was not the best of years in terms of player health, but this team had one thing that stood out: squad depth.
Despite the injury challenges, the 2019 Yankees team went on to have one of the best seasons in franchise history. The Bronx Bombers finished the regular season with 103 wins and 62 losses. Their next challenge was against the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series, and the Yankees did what had to be done; sweeping the Twins.
Unfortunately, the team went on to lose in six games against the Houston Astros at the American Championship Division Series, and ultimately failed to make it to the World Series.
The 1950 New York Yankees
Regular season: 134 games
Yesterday marked 72 years since Vern Bickford pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies at the World Series. Shortstop Phil Rizutto also won the Yankees MVP Award that same season after a phenomenal year for him. Bob Grim also won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
The team finished the regular season with a .636 win percentage and 98-36 record, enough to make it to the World Series which they eventually won.
The 1936 New York Yankees
Regular season: 153 games
The 1936 Yankees recorded 102 wins out of 153 games and a .667 winning percentage. Lou Gherig was the man championing the course for the franchise and he won a well-deserved MVP award that year.
The season had a picture perfect ending for the Yankees as they claimed their fifth World Series title against the New York Giants, now known as the San Francisco Giants, after six games. 1936 would also add an icing to the cake for Yankees fans as Babe Ruth and Gherig were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The 2009 New York Yankees
Regular season: 162 games
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The Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2009, so it's only right that this team makes the list. But we must also recognize how exceptionally good this team was, especially Hideki Matsui who hit a remarkable .271 and registered 28 home runs that season. Matsui's performance at the 2009 World Series earned him the World Series MVP, to no surprise.
The Yankees were 103-59 in the regular season with a .636 winning percentage. They beat a familiar foe, the Philadelphia Phillies, in six games at the World Series to claim their 27th title and first in nine years.
Will the Yankees end their current 13-year title drought? Time will tell.
The 1939 New York Yankees
Regular Season: 151 games
The 1939 Yankees played some of the most beautiful baseball you'll ever witness. Joe DiMaggio led the Yankees to a 106-45 .702 record, and eventually won the season MVP. This is the fourth most wins recorded by a Yankees team in the franchise's history.
It was another year to celebrate yet another World Series title; the Bronx Bombers swept the Cincinnati Reds to earn their fourth consecutive title, and eight overall. Cincinnati was outplayed by the Yankees in homers (7-0) and scoring (20-8), and could only match in hits (27).
Charlie Keller was stellar in that series; he led the Yankees in home runs (three), hits (seven), runs batted in (six), slugging percentage (1.188), runs scored (8), and average (.438)
The 1961 New York Yankees
Regular season: 162 games
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At this point, the Yankees were the franchise to be envied, yet they wanted more. The 1961 team led by Roger Maris won 109 games, lost 53, and registered a .673 average. Maris was named the league MVP after hitting a then-record 61 home runs.
The Yankees faced the Cincinnati Reds once again at the World Series, and came out on top after five games. Whitey Ford was named the World Series MVP and Cy Young Award that same year. And how can anyone forget the M&M home runs duel between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle? It was super exciting for the league.
The 1923 New York Yankees
Regular season: 152 games
It can be pretty hard to pinpoint Babe Ruth's best season as a professional baseball player because he had so many of them. But 1923 was definitely one for the books. Ruth scored 177 runs, hit 41 home runs and 59 homers, and recorded 141 runs batted in to win the league MVP.
The 1923 team had a 98-54 record and .654 winning percentage. Ruth led the franchise to its first ever World Series title, beating the New York Giants in six. While Ruth gets tons of credits for the title run (as he should), it was head coach Miller Huggins who masterminded the team's path to victory.
The 1998 New York Yankees
Regular season: 162 games
It's never a reach if you rank the 1998 New York Yankees as one of the greatest MLB teams of all time. Many even consider this team the greatest in the franchise's history, and there are hardly any arguments to that.
The 98 Yankees produced the most single-regular-season wins in franchise history (114-48) and a .704 winning percentage. They went on to win the World Series over the San Diego Padres that year and Scott Brosius was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
The 1927 New York Yankees
Regular season: 154 games
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Okay! We get it. Why not the 1998 or 1923 team? Because no other New York Yankees team has recorded a winning percentage as high as .714. Period!
The 1927 Yankees went 110-44 in the regular season and outclassed the Pittsburgh Pirates (who had the league MVP Paul Waner) in the World Series. This marked the first time an American League team would sweep a National League team at the World Series.
Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth were at the forefront of the Yankees' second title run.
