Part of me is impressed that the Yankees even continued as a going concern following the 2004 ALCS, during which they succumbed to an epically embarrassing collapse the likes of which we’ll by no means see once more within the historical past {of professional} sports activities. They in all probability ought to’ve folded up store proper there on the spot after the ultimate out of that collection, understanding that they sullied their as soon as proud title for good, and did so in such an embarrassing method that even their grandchildren can be pressured to reside with a lifetime of disgrace.
However they didn’t! The Yankees saved taking part in baseball for some purpose. And this truly turned out to be a superb factor for the remainder of us, as a result of they saved flaming out of the playoffs in new and fascinating — however at all times embarrassing! — methods.
However which of those flame-outs was the most embarrassing? Comply with me on an exquisite journey via the final 20 years of Yankee playoff failures to seek out out.
10. 2007 ALDS, L 3-1 to Cleveland Guardians (nee Indians)
On the very first pitch of the final postseason recreation ever performed at Yankee Stadium, Chien-Ming Wang gave up a leadoff dwelling run to Grady Sizemore. The completely lifeless Bronx “Bombers” would finally fall right into a 6-1 gap and fail to ever look aggressive. The following 12 months, within the remaining baseball season that might ever be performed in probably the most historic venues in world sports activities, the Yankees would fail to make the playoffs for the primary time in 13 years. Embarrassing and hilariously timed!
9. 2015 AL Wild Card Sport, L 1-0 (3-0) to Houston Astros
That is truly the one postseason recreation I’ve ever attended in particular person. And it was boring as hell! As a result of the Yankees couldn’t handle to get a single baserunner to 3rd base the complete night time! Impotently embarrassing!
8. 2017 ALCS, L 4-3 to Houston Astros
The Yankees entered Sport 6 with a 3-2 lead within the collection and Luis Severino and CC Sabathia scheduled to shut it out. They blew it, dropping the following two video games by a mixed rating of 11-1. Happily, they had been used to blowing leads within the ALCS at this level. Habitually embarrassing!
7. 2021 AL Wild Card Sport, L 1-0 (6-2) to Boston Pink Sox
Gerrit Cole completed second within the Cy Younger voting in 2021, compiling an ERA+ of 133 and main the league in wins. He lasted all of two innings towards the Pink Sox at Fenway and, 4 years later, all of New York is grateful he’s not going to make an look towards the Sox this 12 months. Unclutch and embarrassing!
6. 2010 ALCS, L 4-2 to Texas Rangers
The Yankees misplaced the primary two dwelling video games of this collection by a mixed rating of 18-3. In some way, that’s not essentially the most embarrassing factor that occurred in Yankee Stadium throughout this collection, as a result of this was the 12 months that Yankee followers threw beer and spat at Cliff Lee’s spouse, simply weeks earlier than the Yankees would start their pursuit of the Cy Younger winner in free company. Embarrassing and silly!
5. 2022 ALCS, L 4-0 to Houston Astros
You had a man who hit 62 homers in the midst of your lineup and you bought swept, with son of New England Jeremy Peña taking part in you off the sphere! Embarrassing and nonetheless by some means about us!
4. 2006 ALDS, L 3-1 to Detroit Tigers
This was the 12 months that Joe Torre dropped Alex Rodriguez all the best way all the way down to eighth within the lineup in the midst of a playoff collection, after the complete Tri-State space determined that the rationale that the Yankees saved blowing it within the postseason was as a result of the best participant of his technology wasn’t sufficient of a “True Yankee.” A-Rod, in case you want reminding, compiled 21.4 bWAR for that ungrateful membership within the three years main as much as this collection. Three years later he would carry them to their solely post-Dave Roberts World Collection victory. Galaxy-brained and embarrassing!
3. 2012 ALCS, L 4-0 to Detroit Tigers
Within the final playoff collection that Derek Jeter would ever play in, Captain Intangibles would go 1-5 with out 2 strikeouts earlier than by some means breaking his ankle on a routine grounder a few steps to his left. Geriatrically embarrassing!
2. 2018 ALDS, L 3-1 to Boston Pink Sox
Aaron Choose actually thought he was being cool and edgy when he blasted “New York, New York” whereas strolling by the Pink Sox clubhouse after successful recreation two. The Yankees would go on to lose the following two video games by a mixed rating of 20-4, with Brock Holt hitting the one cycle in postseason historical past in a a tragic and empty Yankee Stadium. Cringy and embarrassing!
1. 2024 World Collection, L 4-1 to Los Angeles Dodgers
The Yankees had no probability to win this collection anyway. However to lose it in the best way they did? By permitting 5 runs in a single inning on a fully comical collection of errors, the disgrace and embarrassment of which might lead extra honorable males to resign all Earthly possessions, abandon society altogether, and spend the remainder of their days taking a vow of silence alone someplace in within the foothills of Himalayas? Gloriously, splendidly embarrassing!
