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Inside The Pinstripes

Are The New York Yankees Officially Back?

After a brief dry spell, the New York Yankees have returned to dominance in 2024.
Tyler Maher|
Apr 9, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after the game against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium.
Apr 9, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after the game against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Yankees

Twelve games into the 2024 MLB season, the New York Yankees are back where they belong: at the top of the standings.

On Tuesday, the Yankees became the first team in baseball to reach 10 wins with their 3-2 victory over the hapless Miami Marlins. They soon had company, however, as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Minnesota Twins later in the evening to earn their 10th victory as well.

Keep in mind that the Dodgers have played two more games than New York, though, thanks to its two-game series against the San Diego Padres in South Korea before Opening Day.

At 10-2, the Yankees have the best record in baseball. This is only the fourth time since Babe Ruth joined the team in 1920 that New York has won 10 of its first 12 games. The other three times (1922, 1949 and 2003), the Yankees went on to win the American League pennant.

This begs the question: is New York officially back?

It's been a while since the Yankees were this dominant.

New York owned the first half in 2022 but floundered after the All-Star Break, playing .500 ball in the second half and getting swept by the Houston Astros in the ALCS. That funk continued into 2023, as the Yankees barely finished above .500 (82-80) and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

New York never stays down for long, however, and was aggressive this offseason, trading for outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo to give Aaron Judge some help. The club also bolstered its rotation by signing Marcus Stroman.

It was refreshing to see the Yankees acting like the Yankees again, especially after several underwhelming offseasons. The added star power has provided a much-needed spark in New York, vaulting the team back to its rightful place in first.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Yankees On SI. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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