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Yankees’ record when facing elimination

Posted by John Autin on October 4, 2011

Although it has no predictive value for tonight's game, I was curious about how past Yankees teams have fared when facing postseason elimination.

1) In 24 games wherein only the Yankees faced elimination, they went 13-11 overall, 5-5 this century.

  • Record in series that featured such a Yanks-only elimination game:
    4-17 overall, 1-6 this century ... 0-4 in the A-Rod Era.
  • Last comeback series win: 2001 ALDS.
  • In 9 of the 20 series, they came back to tie the series; they went 4-5 in those sudden-death games.

2) The Yankees have gone 12-10 overall in sudden-death games (I'm counting the '78 playoff with Boston, although it's officially a regular-season game).

  • In 13 series that reached sudden-death without the Yankees previously facing elimination,
    they went 8-5.

3) In the championship years of 1996, 1998-2000 and 2009, the Yankees faced elimination only once, in game of the 2000 ALDS. Their last title while facing elimination in the World Series was in 1962.

Here are all postseason series in which the Yankees ever faced elimination, noting the game outcomes from the point at which they first faced elimination:

  • 2010 ALCS (Rangers) -- Down 3-1, won game 5, lost game 6.
  • 2007 ALDS (Cleveland) -- Down 2-0, won game 3, lost game 4.
  • 2006 ALDS (Tigers) -- Down 2-1, lost game 4.
  • 2005 ALDS (Angels) -- Down 2-1, won game 4, lost game 5 (sudden-death).
  • 2004 ALCS (Red Sox) -- Tied 3-3, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 2003 WS (Marlins) -- Down 3-2, lost game 6.
  • 2003 ALCS (Red Sox) -- Tied 3-3, won game 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 2002 ALDS (Angels) -- Down 2-1, lost game 4.
  • 2001 WS (D-backs) -- Tied 3-3, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 2001 ALDS (A's) -- Down 2-0, won games 3, 4 and 5 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 2000 ALDS (A's) -- Tied 2-2, won game 5 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1997 ALDS (Cleveland) -- Tied 2-2, lost game 5 (sudden-death).
  • 1995 ALDS (Mariners) -- Tied 2-2, lost game 5 (sudden-death).
  • 1981 WS (Dodgers) -- Down 3-2, lost game 6.
  • 1981 ALDS (Brewers) -- Tied 2-2, won game 5 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1980 ALCS (Royals) -- Down 2-0, lost game 3.
  • 1978 AL East playoff (Red Sox)-- Tied, won 1-game playoff (sudden-death), won "series."
  • 1977 ALCS (Royals) -- Down 2-1, won games 4 and 5 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1976 WS (Reds) -- Down 3-0, lost game 4.
  • 1976 ALCS (Royals) -- Tied 2-2, won game 5 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1964 WS (Cardinals) -- Down 3-2, won game 6, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 1963 WS (Dodgers) -- Down 3-0, lost game 4.
  • 1962 WS (Giants) -- Tied 3-3, won game 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1960 WS (Pirates) -- Down 3-2, won game 6, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 1958 WS (Braves) -- Down 3-1, won games 5, 6 and 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1957 WS (Braves) -- Down 3-2, won game 6, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 1956 WS (Dodgers) -- Tied 3-3, won game 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1955 WS (Dodgers) -- Down 3-2, won game 6, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 1952 WS (Dodgers) -- Down 3-2, won games 6 and 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1947 WS (Dodgers) -- Tied 3-3, won game 7 (sudden-death), won series.
  • 1942 WS (Cardinals) -- Down 3-1, lost game 5.
  • 1926 WS (Cardinals) -- Tied 3-3, lost game 7 (sudden-death).
  • 1922 WS (Giants) -- Down 3-0, lost game 5 (game 2 was a tie).
  • 1921 WS (Giants) -- Down 4-3, lost game 8 (best of 9).

 

15 Responses to “Yankees’ record when facing elimination”

  1. Dude Says:

    What about the 2003 WS?

  2. bexy Says:

    Record in series that featured such a Yanks-only elimination game:
    4-15 overall, 1-5 this century ... 0-4 in the A-Rod Era.

    That's not true... they won Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS facing elimination, and Game 5 of the ALCS facing elimination just last year.

  3. Tom Says:

    "Record in series that featured such a Yanks-only elimination game:
    4-15 overall, 1-5 this century ... 0-4 in the A-Rod Era."

    "That's not true... they won Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS facing elimination, and Game 5 of the ALCS facing elimination just last year."

    That IS true. It's not record in games. It's record in series. They still lost the 2007 ALDS and the 2010 ALCS.

  4. howard rosen Says:

    How many of those games were started by their worst pitcher?

  5. Max Says:

    "In the championship years of 1996, 1998-2000 and 2009, the Yankees never faced elimination."

    Not true, they faced elimination in the '00 ALDS, beating the A's in the sudden death Game 5.

  6. John Autin Says:

    @1/Dude and @5/Max -- Thanks for the corrections -- you're right, I omitted the 2003 WS (how did I miss that one?), and they won it all in '00 after winning a sudden-death game 5 in the ALDS. I've corrected the post.

  7. Biff Says:

    I wonder what their playoff record in games that don't start at/around 8 PM in the last 10 years, even though I know that's against MLB rules.

  8. John Autin Says:

    @4, Howard -- Wait, did they switch from A.J. to Hughes at the last minute?

  9. Kingturtle Says:

    this means little in isolation. what are the records of all other teams in all these situations?

  10. John Autin Says:

    @9, Kingturtle -- Check the opening line again. "Although it has no predictive value...."

  11. howard rosen Says:

    @8...luckily they didn't. AJ surprised me tonight..

  12. Doug Says:

    @7, Biff.

    "I wonder what their playoff record in games that don't start at/around 8 PM in the last 10 years"

    Don't know about the last 10 playoff years, but in 2011, the Yankees had a pretty dramtic split, going 44-13 in day games, but only 53-52 at night.

  13. Bob T Says:

    What about the 1921 World Series?

  14. John Autin Says:

    @13, Bob T -- Mea culpa again, and thanks for the correction. I must have really rushed this piece. I've updated the post.

  15. John Autin Says:

    Should I update the numbers? Naaahhhh.... 🙂