For the team, winning the division seemed all but destined early in the season after the Yankees established a seemingly unassailable lead in the standings. By July 9, the Yankees’ advantage was 15 games over their nearest rival. But an August swoon continued into early September, when the Yankees lost 20 of 29 games, leading to 3 1/2 games through September 9.
“For sure there have been days for me personally where it’s been frustrating,” Boone said of the burglary. “But there was always a belief that we would get through this.”
They did. September was a lot friendlier, thanks in large part to Judge, who has long been their most prolific hitter. They’ve also seen injured players like Anthony Rizzo return to health and productivity, while others, like Gleyber Torres, have also contributed. Torres has now reached safely in 20 straight games and rookie Oswaldo Cabrera is hitting .321 with four doubles and four homers in his last 15 games after going 2 for 4 on Tuesday.
After the win over Toronto, the Yankees gave a measured celebration on the field, much like they do after any normal win. But back at the clubhouse, they changed into shirts that said “The East Is Ours,” listened to Boone’s speech, and then broke out.
The judge said the late-season struggles made the Yankees stronger and cemented their internal ties.
“When you play 162 games, you’re going to have those times where things don’t go the way you want, when you think you’re doing everything right but can’t claw out a win,” he said. “But the special thing about this team is that the guys didn’t waver. They came to work every day and got ready to go out and help us win.”
But no one contributed more to the Yankees’ victory this year than Judge himself, who is likely to be rewarded with the AL Most Valuable Player Award for his efforts after the season. That’s pretty much settled, and the division title is already up on the websites.
The only questions left now are how the Yankees will fare in the postseason and whether Judge will hit another home run or maybe two.