- Home
- China
- World
- Asia-Pacific
- Americas
- Europe
- Middle-East and Africa
- Politics
- Business
- Opinions
- Tech & Sci
- Culture
- Sports
- Travel
- Nature
- Picture
- Video
- Live
- TV
- Radio
- Specials
- Learn Chinese
Share
Copied
Aaron Hicks (R) of the New York Yankees high fives his teammate Luis Rojas after hitting a triple during the ninth inning of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida, June 20, 2022. /CFP
The New York Yankees secured their 50th win of the season after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg on Monday. Reaching this record in 67 games was the third-fastest in franchise history after 50-14 in 1939 and 50-16 in 1928.
The team won the World Series title in both of those seasons. They are currently leading the Major League Baseball (MLB) in run differential (+145) and home runs (111) with a big disadvantage over the second-placed Los Angeles Dodgers (+114 of run differential) and Atlanta Braves (100 home runs).
The Yankees have finished seven seasons leading in all three areas and they won the World Series at the end of six of them, including doing so for four straight times between 1936 and 1939. The last time they had such incredible performance was in 1961.
Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres have been providing great offensive firepower for the Yankees by combining a total 70 home runs. 25 of them came of 30-year-old Judge in 60 games. Only Mickey Mantle (27 home runs) in 1956 and Babe Ruth (27 home runs) in 1928 did better than him in team history.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has hit 25 home runs in 60 games for the team in the 2021-22 season. /CFP
Solid defense was also behind the Yankees' excellent performance. The team's pitchers allowed an earned run average (ERA) of 2.78, the best in the league. They allowed the fewest walks, the second-fewest home runs and the third-fewest fielding percentage, according to ESPN.
If the Yankees keep their current winning rate of 74.6 percent, they will finish the 2022 regular season with 121 wins, which will break the all-time MLB record of 116 wins achieved by the Chicago Cubs in 1906 and Seattle Mariners in 2001. The Yankee's best record was 114 wins in 1998.
The Yankees have the third-highest payroll of $240.29 million in this league this season and the number is likely to continue growing after signing DJ LeMahieu and Corey Kluber on lucrative deals. They failed to reach an extension with Judge, who rejected a seven-year, $213.5 million deal.
The Yankees have won 27 World Series titles, the most of all teams. The last time they reached the final was in 2009 when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2. Last season, the team was 90-72 in the regular season and lost to the Boston Red Sox 1-0 in the American League Wild Card Game.
