The New York Yankees are heading back to the postseason. New York clinched the AL East title with Thursday night's win over the Angels (NYY 9, LAA 1). It is their first division title since 2012.
Thursday's win was also the 100th of the season for the Yankees. They went 100-62 last year, in manager Aaron Boone's first year at the helm. Boone is the first manager in baseball history to win 100 games in each of his first two seasons.
Here are the managers with the most wins through their first two seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau:
- Ralph Houk, 1961-62 Yankees: 205
- Aaron Boone, 2018-19 Yankees: 200
- Mickey Cochrane, 1934-95 Tigers: 194
MLB switched from a 154-game schedule to a 162-game schedule in 1961, so Cochrane won those 194 with fewer games available. Also, the Yankees have eight games remaining this season, so Boone has a chance to break Houk's record.
It should be noted Dave Roberts won 195 games in his first two seasons with the Dodgers, but, because he managed one game on an interim basis with the Padres in 2015, they are not considered his first two seasons as a manager. Don't blame me. I don't make the rules. Blame Elias.
Boone is only the fourth Yankees manager to win 100 games in back-to-back seasons regardless of when it happened in their careers. Hall of Famers Miller Huggins (1927-28), Joe McCarthy (1936-37, 1941-42), and Joe Torre (2002-04) have done it as well.
At 100-54, the Yankees are currently battling the Astros and Dodgers for the best record in baseball and thus homefield advantage throughout the postseason.
