Yankees: The five biggest surprises during the 2018 season

The Yankees had a very successful regular season in 2018 winning 100 games for the first time since the year they last won a championship in 2009.

Despite their outstanding record the Yankees failed to win the division once again but they did secure home-field advantage for the AL Wild Card game for the second straight season. There they defeated the Oakland A’s to advance to the ALDS to set up a battle with their rivals the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately, a trip back to the ALCS just wasn’t in the cards for the Yanks as they were outplayed and eliminated by the Sox in just four games. 

Obviously, any time the Yankees don’t win a championship the season is usually considered a failure by ownership and the fanbase. Especially when they have the team to go all the way and this Yankee team definitely had the talent to make it to a World Series. It’s sure to be a busy offseason for the Yanks as they’ll look to upgrade their starting rotation and possibly add another big bat to their already potent lineup.

Along the way in 2018 there were many surprises on this Yankee team, both good and bad. For the third straight season, they had a rookie (two rookies) burst onto the scene and become an offensive force in their lineup. They also had players they were expecting to do big things take a step back and really struggle throughout the year. For a team that won 100 games, they were actually a lot of ups and downs for the Yanks over the course of 162 games.

Still, it was a memorable season for the fans even though the team fell well short of reaching their ultimate goal. There was a lot to be happy about and moving forward this team should be able to continue to contend for a championship with the core of young stars they have.

But before we shift our focus to the offseason for good it’s time to look back at the Yankees five biggest surprises from the 2018 season.