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While nearly every aspect of the Yankees has been brutal of late, on the whole, the offense has been the most unwatchable part of this year’s team so far. Despite the amount of players with potential and/or a track record on the roster, the Yankees have gotten a substandard amount of offense all year. It’s been bad.
As a bit of a palate cleanser, let’s go back to some good Yankees’ offenses and look back at some of the franchise’s most notable performances over the years.
Most Runs in a Game
The Yankees offense was dynamic in 1936, scoring nearly seven runs per game on the road en route to a 102-win season and a World Series title. It was most evident on May 24th of that season. The Yankees scored 25 runs on 19 hits as part of a 25-2 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. Tony Lazzeri led the way with 11 RBI on four hits. Third baseman Red Rolfe was the only Yankee starter to fail to get a hit, but even he reached base with three walks. Not shocking, this game is also the largest margin of victory in Yankees’ history. Take this single game out, and their average runs drops by nearly a 10th of a run.
Most Hits in a Game
Before winning the franchise’s first World Series, the 1923 Yankees also set the team’s record for most hits in a game. Against the Red Sox in September of that season, they racked up 30 hits in a 24-4 win. Only Bob Meusel and Everett Scott failed to get a hit on the day, but they only got two and one plate appearances respectively. Even pitcher Sad Sam Jones recorded three, as Babe Ruth led the way with five, including a home run and two doubles.
Most Home Runs in a Game
On two separate occasions, the Yankees have hit eight home runs in a game. The first came back in 1939 in another game against the A’s. Joe DiMaggio and Babe Dahlgren hit two each in a 23-2 win. Fast forward 67 years, and Hideki Matsui was the only who had a multi-homer game as the Yankees beat the White Sox 16-3 in 2007. On that day, former Yankee José Contreras was one of the victims, allowing three home runs in just 2.2 innings.
Most Runs in an Inning
At time of writing, the Yankees are averaging just under four runs per game — in one 1920 game, they got over three times that in one inning alone. As part of a 17-0 win over the Senators on July 6th, the Yankees put up 14 runs in the fifth inning. Sammy Vick led off the inning and just barely missed making a third plate appearance in it as he was left on the on deck circle after Chick Fewster struck out to end the carnage. They actually only recorded seven hits in it, but they were the beneficiaries of two walks, a wild pitch, and five Senators’ errors.
Scored a Run in Every Inning
Twice the Yankees have scored in every inning in which they hit, but thanks to the rules of baseball and the lack of a need to bat in the ninth inning when winning as the home team, they haven’t done it in all nine yet. The first came in a year that keeps popping up: 1939. On July 26th against the St. Louis Browns, they recorded 2, 1, 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, and 1 runs in a 14-1 home win. Bill Dickey hit three home runs and went 4-for-5, with all his hits coming in four different innings.
The 2006 Yankees repeated the feat on April 29th against the Blue Jays. They got at least a run in all eight innings, put up crooked numbers in five frames, and launched four homers in a 17-6 win.
Most Runs Allowed in a Win
On July 1, 1907, the then Highlanders allowed 15 runs to the Senators only to win the game. They trailed 6-0 after the top of the fifth and 13-6 after the top of the seventh, but scored 10 runs over the final three innings to pull off a win. Meanwhile, this year’s team has won one game where pitching’s allowed more than five runs.