A look back at the Yankees most recent trips to the ALCS.
For the ninth time since the turn of the century (2000) the New York Yankees are getting ready to play in the American League Championship series.
This season the Yankees foe will be the Houston Astros in a rematch of the 2017 ALCS.
So far since 2000 the Yankees are 4-4 once reaching the ALCS and have went onto win the world series twice.
Let’s relive that history with a look back at the Yankees seven most recent trips to the ALCS.
2000 Yankees 4, Mariners 2
The Yankees started the new century with a third straight trip to the ALCS, having won the world series the previous two seasons. In 2000 the Bombers took on a Seattle Mariners team looking for revenge for the 1995 ALDS series that saw Seattle storm back and win the series. Despite losing game one, the Yankees would punch back and win game two in the Bronx and then games three and four in Seattle highlighted by Rodger Clemens’ 15 strikeout performance in game four. The Bombers would drop game five but came back strong and closed out Seattle in six games en route to their 26th world series championship.
Series MVP: David Justice
2001 Yankees 4, Mariners 1
New York and Seattle would meet again in 2001 after the Mariners broke the Yankees regular-season win record by going 116-46. That wouldn’t matter much; however, as the Yankees took down Seattle in just five games, including winning the game five clincher 12-3. New York would go onto its fourth straight world series but would lose in heartbreaking fashion to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Series MVP: Andy Pettite
2003 Yankees 4, Red Sox 3
In a re-match of the 1999 ALCS that saw the Yankees take down the rival Red Sox, the 2003 series was far more competitive. Both teams matched each other punch for punch leading to a decisive game seven in the Bronx. After the Red Sox jumped out to an early lead, the Yankees stormed back off Pedro Martinez and Alan Embree with a three run eighth inning. Mariano Rivera would pitch three scoreless innings, and in the bottom of the 11th, he was finally rewarded as Aaron Boone hit a pinch-hit walk-off home run to send the Yankees back to the fall classic where they’d lose in six games to the Florida Marlins.
Series MVP: Mariano Rivera
2004 Red Sox 4, Yankees 3
In 2004 Boston got their revenge in a big way. After the Yankees cruised to a 3-0 series lead, Boston clawed back to win in walk-off fashion in both games four and five to send the series back to New York. The Red Sox would finish the jobs with wins in both games six and seven to complete the first-ever comeback when down 3-0 in a best of seven playoff series. They’d go onto sweep the St. Louis Cardinals and win the world series for the first time since 1918.
Series MVP: David Ortiz
2009 Yankees 4, Angels 2
After four seasons, the Yankees finally made it back to the ALCS in 2009. Fresh off a sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees took the first two games of the series against the Angels behind a game one gem from CC Sabathia and an extra-innings victory in game two. After losing game three in Los Angeles, the Yankees dominated game four to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Angels would salvage game five, but in game six the Yankees flexed their muscle and secured a trop back to the world series where they’d go onto defeat the Phillies.
Series MVP: CC Sabathia
2010 Rangers 4, Yankees 2
Looking to repeat as world champions, the Yankees faced off with the Texas Rangers in the 2010 ALCS. The Yankees took game one in Arlington in comeback fashion as they scored five runs in the top of the eighth to secure a 6-5 victory. The momentum would be short-lived; however, as the Rangers won games two, three, and four behind dominant pitching performances from Colby Lewis. Cliff Lee and Derek Holland. New York would salvage game five in the Bronx but could not complete the comeback as the Rangers closed them out in game six. With the series win, the Rangers reached the world series for the first time in team history but were defeated by the San Francisco Giants in five games.
Series MVP: Josh Hamilton
2012 Tigers 4, Yankees 0
The Yankees would make it back to the ALCS in 2012 after defeating the Baltimore Orioles in a hard-fought five-game division series. In game one, New York rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning to force extra innings. There, however, star shortstop Derek Jeter suffered a broken ankle, which changed the entire complextion of the series. The Tigers would go onto win game one and sweep through New York en route to the world series. Once in the fall classic, Detroit was swept by the Giants.
Series MVP: Delmon Young
2017 Astros 4, Yankees 3
New York’s most recent trip to the ALCS came in 2017 against the Houston Astros. After falling behind 2-0, the Yankees won three in a row in the Bronx highlighted by a late-inning comeback in game four. Needing just one win to reach the fall classic, the Yankees traveled back to Houston to finish the job. Things wouldn’t go as planned; however as the Astros, tough pitching staff stifled the Yankees bats as they went onto win the series in seven games. The Astros would face the Dodgers in the fall classic, where they’d win in seven games to earn their first championship in team history.
Series MVP: Justin Verlander