Looking Back on the Yankees Unlikely 2016 Playoff Push

The New York Yankees found themselves as unlikely underdogs after an unprecedented sell-off at the trade deadline. How exactly did they manage to stay in the race this long?

The New York Yankees recent three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox was soured by the news that the good guys had been mathematically eliminated from the playoff hunt by Baltimore’s win over Toronto. It definitely ruined the fun of Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Sox, but that disappointment likely won’t stick for long given all the team accomplished in the second half.

If you had told me the Yankees would still be alive in the playoff race on August 1st, I would not have believed you. This team managed to go 31-24 (.564 winning percentage) after trading away three of their best players. The most exciting part about that is they managed to do that by putting a number of their top prospects into starting roles.

Any discussion of New York’s Cinderella run needs to start with rookie sensation Gary Sanchez, who comes into Friday hitting .303/.378/.672 (172 OPS+) and would run away with the American League Rookie of the Year award in a just universe. He reached the 20 home run milestone before his 50th game this season, setting a number of MLB records along the way.

More from Yankees News

• Yankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendar
• Yankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielder
• Michael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening Day
• No, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023
• Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step

Sanchez has easily been the best player in baseball over his first two months in the major leagues. In just two months, he’s already accumulated 2.8 WAR according to Baseball-Reference, making him the team’s second most valuable position player. There’s no denying he’s carried this team on his back, keeping them relevant while players were collapsing around him.

Another player who emerged as a legitimate middle of the lineup bat in the second half was Starlin Castro. The 26-year-old has been maddeningly inconsistent in his career, likely because of his terrible plate discipline, but the Yankees wouldn’t have been able to stay in the race without him.

For the second straight year, Castro absolutely raked down the stretch, hitting .295/.315/.495 (117 OPS+) in 254 PA following the All-Star break, after putting up a .256/.293/.395 (85 OPS+) in the first half. Aaron Hicks, Ronald Torreyes, Billy Butler, and Donovan Solano were among the other unlikely contributors to keep the Yankees offense afloat.

When the offense stalled in September because of a rash of injuries to key regulars, the Yankees rotation made a valiant effort to keep the team in the race. New York’s starters have a 3.11 ERA in 27 starts this month, which is good for third in all of baseball.

After trading away Ivan Nova at the deadline and losing Nathan Eovaldi and Chad Green to injury, the Yankees received solid efforts from youngsters Luis Cessa, Bryan Mitchell, and even Luis Severino, all of whom should be in contention for a rotation job next year.

The experience of playing in a tight playoff race is invaluable for many of these young players. It was a nice lower-pressure introduction to a postseason atmosphere because the team had no real expectations they would win. The fact that they put together a little run was a nice surprise.

Next: Three Under-the-Radar Free Agent Upgrades for the Yankees

For the first time in years, the New York Yankees can reasonably expect to be better the next year without going out and bringing in the top free agents. This is the best crop of young talent the organization has had since the start of the dynasty years, and these last two months have been a fun preview of what they can do.