Injuries could have sunk the Yankees, but instead they won the division

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A rough finish to the regular season has Yankees fans agitated. Confidence in the team’s direction cratered this week, falling 20 points from 91% to 71%. Aaron Boone’s approval rating dropped a bit, too, ending up at 87%. Somehow it feels like the Yankees are underrated heading into the postseason.

But enough of the doom and gloom. With the regular season in the rear view, it’s fun to look back on the year and acknowledge some key moments. Three distinct events stand out as turning points for the Yankees.

1. Aaron Judge suffers oblique injury (April 20) - Judge’s injury represented the nadir of the team’s season. In fact. it was the kind of blow that could sink a club’s whole year. Consider what I had to say at the time:

The Yankees have suffered an entire season’s worth of injuries in the span of a single month. On Saturday, they lost arguably their most value player in Aaron Judge. The outfielder took a bad swing and instantly grabbed for his side. Aaron Boone called it an oblique issue and projected a trip to the injured list. The Yankees haven’t made excuses for their bad luck, but one has to wonder if this is the tipping point.

Instead of wilting, the Yankees rallied around the “next man up” and charged into the division race. The good moments that followed were sweeter because of the down points.

2. Aaron Boone launches “savages in the box” rant (July 18) - This rant single-handedly changed public opinion on Boone. Honestly, it was so entertaining that it deserves repeat viewing.

3. Clinching the AL East (September 19) - For the first time since the 2012, the Yankees toasted to a division title. It was a long road back to the top of the AL East, so fans voiced their approval. Here’s what Tom had to say of the occasion:

This season has been all sorts of things, and although we’ve known pretty much since Opening Day that this team was making the playoffs, that doesn’t make the achievement any less special. With 100 wins under their belt and an AL East crown, the Yankees achieved Step One tonight on their route to history.

What do you consider the top moments of the season? Let us know in the comments below! And while you’re at it, take a minute to sign up for our FanPulse at the link on the top of the page.