By late July, all signs suggested a term that’s quite foreign to the regal Yankee franchise: rebuilding.
But the evidence of such an act became quite clear as the trade deadline neared. Despite being around the .500 mark, the front office brass in the Bronx decided it was time to part ways with veteran players in lieu of prospects.
Gone was Carlos Beltran, traded to contending Texas. Gone were bullpen studs Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, who took their talents to Chicago and Cleveland, respectively. Just a couple weeks later, when the team had sold off everything but the monuments in center field, gone was the retired Alex Rodriguez.
And, it seemed, gone were the last remains of 2016 playoff hopes for the pinstripes — replaced with plans that put a firm focus on the future.
Who knew the future would arrive so soon.
Instead of retreating from postseason contention, the Yankees have flourished behind an infusion of new talent — so much so that they began play on Thursday just four games out of first place in the AL East and two behind in the Wild Card chase.
In the 30 games after A-Rod’s final one for the Bombers on Aug. 13, they’ve gone 18-12. Take that as you will.
Even if you may believe the resolution surrounding the longtime third baseman/designated hitter/bench-warmer lifted a burden, credit for the resurgence has to be placed on the individuals who entered rather than the one who exited.
Most notable of all the newcomers is Gary Sanchez. The 23-year-old catcher from the Dominican Republic quickly shook off any rookie jitters and displayed Ruthian power with 11 home runs in a 15-game span (from August 10-25). He also batted .389 for the month and reached base at a clip of 47 percent.
#StartSpreadingTheNews @Yankees don’t quit. NYC, you with us?
— Gary Sanchez (@ElGarySanchez) September 10, 2016
The lineups are replete with names such as Refsnyder, Romine, Austin, and Judge. The mound is being occupied with unheralded hurlers like Cessa, Bryan Mitchell, and Severino.
More familiar names include Jacoby Ellsbury, Starlin Castro, and Brett Gardner collectively have combined for 57 total bases during the month of September, while Masahiro Tanaka has yielded just five earned runs over the past 33.1 innings and claimed victory in each of his past six decisions.
Unlike so many Yanks teams of the past, this group is winning more with spunk than stardom. And each win not only creates an even greater logjam in the battle for the playoffs, it adds to the belief that their season may not end on Oct. 2. Thus this weekend’s battle with the Red Sox at Fenway has added significance.
Thursday’s opener didn’t help New York’s cause in the least, as a blown save by Dellin Betances was induced by a Hanley Ramirez walk-off homer — capping a five-run Red Sox ninth.
In most seasons — when winning was a mandate among the organization, the fans, and the local media — a devastating defeat of this kind would have caused a tremendous uproar. Not this year.
It’s never easy to lose to your biggest rival in that type of fashion, but it would be hard for that to put a damper on what promises to be a be a bright future. The last few weeks dispelled any thoughts of a Yankees demise and fueled notions of a quick turnaround.
