Meet Bronxie, the official Rally Turtle of the New York Yankees

Who would have thought the key to the New York Yankees playing good baseball was a simple shelled reptile?

The year is 2007. The New York Yankees are fighting for the AL Wild Card, and we’re all neck-deep in the new favorite online toy that is YouTube when we discover this gem. This is when YouTube officially took over the world.

It’s now 2021, the New York Yankees are fighting for an AL Wild Card spot yet again, and their recent stretch of good baseball is all because of a turtle. Oh, and we all still have a HORRIBLE YouTube addiction.

Cue the record scratch and everyone thinking ESNY has officially gone crazy. How are baseball and turtles related in this case? Has an alternate dimension opened and the Koopa Troopas now control the media? Were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles real this whole time and surfaced above ground to become sports bloggers?

Believe it, folks. This is 100% real. According to Sam Borden of ESPN, the team recently got a turtle from a local pet store. His name is Bronxie, his proud and happy turtle-dad is Nestor Cortes, and DJ LeMahieu apparently likes to just stare at him when he’s in his little turtle tank.

Yankees wanted a pet so Nestor convinced them to get a turtle before this win streak. It roams the clubhouse or spends time in a tank labeled Bronxie the Turtle. DJ is said to stare at him a lot

“Would be great if we got him a little World Series ring” -Gardy

(via @SamBorden) pic.twitter.com/Ux6F20GGC4

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 28, 2021

Here’s where the story gets strange. What started as Cortes and a handful of other teammates wanting to get a turtle together is now the Yankees’ unofficial mascot. Since Bronxie has joined the team, New York has won six in a row. Bronxie was even in the visitors clubhouse at Fenway Park for the Yankees’ weekend sweep of the Red Sox.

Borden also confirmed that Bronxie was indeed with the Yankees in Toronto for a crucial three-game set with the Blue Jays. These games could mean the season, and New York deserves its sweet, shelled buddy Bronxie around, win or lose.

In time, we’ll soon know if Bronxie and the New York Yankees are indeed turtly enough for MLB’s ultimate Turtle Club, the postseason.