The Lit 6: New York Yankees Top Plays From 8/28-9/3
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 02: Matt Holliday #17 of the New York Yankees celebrates his sixth inning three run home run against the Boston Red Sox with teammate Chase Headley #12 at Yankee Stadium on September 2, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

A rough week for the New York Yankees but the team continues to dazzle with highlight-worthy home runs and incredible defensive showings.

The playoffs are inching closer and the New York Yankees are in the middle of a fight for a playoff spot. No big deal, considering they weren’t supposed to even make it this far in the first place.

But seeing how great they can be, we want more from this team. We want to see them make a splash in the playoff scene, riding the underdog title to the World Series.

After being swept by the Cleveland Indians and splitting with the Boston Red Sox this week, the Yankees didn’t have a whole lot to cheer about. That’s why we focus on the individual positives that happened this week.

Another week, another new addition of top plays. If the Yankees can make plays like this consistently, they’d be atop the American League East.

Just remember that, Yankees. You can do it. Just keep doing what you’ve done in these six plays this week.

6. The Judge Can Juke

Your typical top play from Aaron Judge? Not even close. However, this one was pretty awesome in terms of trickery.

Judge completely faked out Rafael Devers, who was heading to second on what he thought was a single to right. Judge, however, knew it was going to drop but figured he could get an out from it.

And he did. Judge lifted his glove just enough to have Devers make the turn back to first. As soon as the ball dropped, Judge was ready and fired a strike to Didi Gregorius to get the out.

Judge turned a base hit that would have set up the Sox at first and second with one out into getting a tricky out.

Well done, Mr. Judge. Your girlfriend must be so proud…we all know she is watching you VERY closely.

5. Birdie Goes Bye-Bye

It’s the bottom of the ninth in a blowout game against the Cleveland Indians. If a Greg Bird hits a home run and there’s nobody left in the crowd to see it, did it really happen?

Yes, yes it did. Sure, it may not have made a huge difference in the outcome of the game but it meant a whole lot to Yankee nation.

It showed that all that waiting for Greg Bird wasn’t useless. We anticipated he would come back slowly but he’s come back with a bang. Bird has exceeded all expectations and brought back his sweet swing to the Bronx.

Boy, did we miss Bird when he was gone. Now he’ll make a huge difference for the Yankees in the playoff hunt.

4. ANOTHER Bird Bomb!

Another day, another Bird bomb. Except this one meant a whole lot more than his previous home run.

This one extended the Yankees’ lead over the Red Sox and was also an absolute BOMB into right field. He already loves right field as a lefty in Yankee Stadium. So hopefully he’ll hit it there a whole lot more over the years.

Bird’s swing has looked really good and this ball was stroked. Plus, it gave them the boost they needed to beat the Red Sox.

What a night for Bird, who also drove in another run to give the Yankees a 5-1 lead. I’ll never get tired of seeing Bird drive in runs, whatever way he does it.

3. Green with Envy

You rarely see bullpen pitchers making top plays with just their pitching but Chad Green does it this time.

Green made history by recording seven strikeouts while only facing eight batters in his performance against the Cleveland Indians at the Stadium.

Greenie not only made history, he made it look absolutely awesome. He mowed down one of the hottest offenses in the league in order to keep the deficit at one.

A 2.05 ERA this season. 86 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched. Yeah, Chad Green is one of the arms you want to have in your bullpen. Luckily he’s on the Yankees’ side.

2. Double Plays Are Twice As Nice

CC Sabathia yelled at the Sox for bunting on him. Now he gets to yell at the Sox for being silly on the bases when he’s on the mound.

The Yankees’ finest stopper made the big play in a 1-1 tie against Boston in the top of the fifth inning. With a 3-2 count and a runner on first, Sabathia executed a 92 MPH fastball on the inside corner to strike out Mookie Betts.

Gary Sanchez fielded the pitch cleanly and fired to second to nab Andrew Benintendi trying to steal Judge’s ROY title…I mean, second base.

While Benintendi tried the swim move, Starlin Castro was not fooled, easily placing the tag that would end the Red Sox threat.

Double plays are nice but when there’s a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play, things get a million times more exciting.

1. Holliday Weekend Celebration

The Yankees needed a win over the Red Sox. They desperately needed Saturday’s victory. Matt Holliday gave it to them.

While Holliday struggled in his short rehab stint, Holliday did was he did best against the Red Sox: hit home runs.

Holliday took a Drew Pomeranz fastball DEEEEEEP into the left field bleachers, measured at 443 feet. That home run was a three-run shot that put the Yankees up 4-1 in a crucial match-up that will help determine their playoff hopes.

Plus, that’s the first home run we’ve seen from him in an incredibly long time. Holliday blasts are one of the things we were expecting from him and it came at exactly the right time.

A big blast gets the top spot this week, so thank you Matt Holliday for giving us hope in the playoff race.

And that’s a wrap! The Yankees look to face some division rivals this week, including red-hot Balitmore. It’s time to get more of these incredible plays in this week if the playoffs are even going to be an option for the Bombers.


Allison is just a girl with an enormous passion for the game of baseball and the written word. Based in Upstate New York, her life-long relationship with the New York Yankees is something that she developed through close relationships with her mother and grandfather. An aspiring sports writer, she graduated with a journalism degree and is finding places to share her excitement about the sporting world and how it affects us all.