Best New York Yankees’ games from the 2016 season

Sick of waiting for baseball to start up again? Take a peek at the New York Yankees best victories from this past season.

The 2016 season may not have ended in another championship ring for the New York Yankees but it was still deemed a success in the organization’s rebuilding process.

From towering home runs to stellar come-from-behind victories, the Yankees kept fans along for the ride during their magical playoff run.

With the long winter days continuing on for a while, you’ll need something to tide you over until the baseball starts up in less than 100 days.

Take a look through ESNY’s best Yankees’ games this season and get ready for an upcoming season of All-Stars and some insane baseball shenanigans.

 

Honorable Mention

Gary Sanchez’s first big league home run- 8/10/16

We saw a lot of Gary Sanchez at the end of the season, but this game featured his first big league home run, in addition to a four-hit performance against his new rival, the Boston Red Sox.

In Fenway Park, Sanchez smacked a moonshot that sparked his tear, where he ended his two-month campaign with 20 home runs.

It was more symbolic, though, as Sanchez’s hot start showed the Yankees that they weren’t out of it quite yet.

6. Ellsbury steals home…and the victory- 4/22/16

The speedster has done it before against the Yankees, but this time, Jacoby Ellsbury‘s steal of home plate was done with him sporting navy blue pinstripes, and turned out to be the spark they needed to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays.

Matt Moore was on the hill pitching from the wind-up with absolutely zero attention on the speedy outfielder on third.On a 3-2 pitch to Brett Gardner, Ellsbury broke for the plate and dove to make it a successful attempt.

It was Ellsbury’s fifth stolen base of the year, and the first Yankee to steal home since Derek Jeter did it back in 2001 against the Baltimore Orioles.

More importantly, it was the tying run in the game and helped spark the come-from-behind victory they needed early on in the season.

It may have been early, but this was by far one of the most exhilarating plays in 2016.

5. Didi and Castro stage a comeback

Although this game started with Brett Gardner being thrown out attempting an inside-the-park home run, the Yankees still found a way to grind out the victory against their cross-town rivals.

With the New York Mets displaying their power, the Yankees found themselves down two runs in the top of eighth — but they were far from out of it.

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Didi Gregorius quickly erased the deficit with a two-run single and the Yankees found themselves claiming victory after Starlin Castro‘s game-winning sacrifice fly.

Winning an extra-inning game on the road? Difficult. Winning an extra-inning game on the road against your cross-town rivals? Priceless.

4. It ain’t over ’til it’s over- 6/29/16

Down five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Yankees were cooked. Yet, they never gave up against a stellar Texas Rangers team and, because of that, they emerged as victors.

In danger of losing four in a row, the Yankees relied on dingers from Brian McCann to bring them right back into the game. With his game-tying three-run homer off Rangers closer

With his game-tying three-run homer off Rangers closer Sam Dyson, McCann set the table for young shortstop Gregorius to come up huge.

His walk-off home run marked the end of a losing streak and the start of a more confident Yankee team.

3. Mark Teixeira walks off in grand fashion

There are memorable moments and then there are moments that will reduce you to tears. This is one of the latter.

Mark Teixeria announces his retirement in the beginning of August and then saves one last heroic effort for the ball field; He smashes a walk-off grand slam to sink the Boston Red Sox.

Down 3-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Tex reminds us what a “blown save” really is.

While the Sox still came through with the AL East title, Teixeira’s bomb stopped them from celebrating on his home turf. And if you can’t make the playoffs, the next best thing is beating the Red Sox in miraculous fashion.

2. Tommy Layne keeps Yankees playoff hopes alive- 9/26/16

Any time the Toronto Blue Jays and the Yankees meet up, there are sure to be fireworks.

In this game, there were two benches-clearing brawls and a five-run ninth inning for the Yankees — all of which resulted in a stunning conclusion.

Up by four in the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Jays mounted a comeback, which was quickly stopped by a stellar play by pitcher Tommy Layne. Diving into home plate to tag the plate on a bases-loaded grounder saved the Yankees playoff hopes.

Before the game, they were squandering in the playoff race. After, they were still squandering but at least they were getting closer to the playoffs.

1. Gardy saves the game, the season and the world

If you remember Gardner for one thing, it’d be how he has consistently saved the Yankees’ butts. 

That’s just what he did when he leaped to rob Justin Smoak of a potentially game-winning hit in the Yankees’ hunt for the Wild Card.

With one catch, Gardner provided the resurgent Yankees with some hope that carried them through September in stunning fashion.

Gardner’s catch was not just impressive physically as the energy from the crowd and the excitement from the players showed that they weren’t done yet. No, they had the playoffs on their minds.

Even though they didn’t make it, they sure used these victories to propel them ahead all season long.