2011 New York Yankees season
The 2011 New York Yankees season was the 111th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees began the season at home against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, March 31. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth in the first game of a doubleheader on September 21, and clinched the AL East division title in the second game. The Yankees season ended on October 6 when they lost a deciding Game 5 of the 2011 American League Division Series to the Detroit Tigers 3–2. It was the first time since 2007 that the Yankees lost an elimination game at home.
The 2011 season was the final season in the playing career of longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.
Offseason
Manager Joe Girardi's three-year contract with the Yankees ended at the conclusion of the 2010 season. Having won one World Series and bringing his team to the playoffs the past two seasons, the Yankees quickly signed him to a new 3-year deal worth $9 million. After firing pitching coach Dave Eiland, they replaced him with Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild.In November, they added minor leaguers Melky Mesa, Dellin Betances, Ryan Pope, and Brandon Laird to the 40-man roster. Mesa had to be added to avoid eligibility to be a minor league free agent, while Betances, Pope, and Laird had to be added to prevent being eligible for the Rule 5 draft.
In November, long-time Yankees Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera all became free agents, as well as veterans Nick Johnson, Javier Vázquez, Marcus Thames, Kerry Wood, Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns, and Chad Moeller. Dustin Moseley and Alfredo Aceves also became free agents as the Yankees opted not to tender their contracts. On November 18, 2010, the Yankees traded Juan Miranda to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league pitcher Scottie Allen. On November 19, 2010, they released reliever Jonathan Albaladejo per an agreement made with Albaladejo and the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Sergio Mitre avoided arbitration with the Yankees by signing a one-year, $900,000 deal. Derek Jeter and the Yankees agreed to a new contract of $51 million over 3 years with fourth-year option after 2013. Mariano Rivera signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Yankees, which he hinted may be the last contract of his career.
In the Rule 5 draft, the Yankees selected pitchers Robert Fish from the Angels and Daniel Turpen from the Red Sox. The Astros meanwhile selected Yankees minor leaguer Lance Pendleton while the Padres selected George Kontos.
joined the 3000 hit club with a solo homer off from Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher David Price at Yankee Stadium in July 2011.
On December 13, 2010 it was announced that top free agent Cliff Lee rejected the Yankees six-year, $138 million contract offer to sign a five-year, $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee was the Yankees top priority in the offseason. In his place, the Yankees signed catcher Russell Martin and reliever Pedro Feliciano.
The Yankees have signed various former Major Leaguers to minor league deals, such as Brian Anderson, Luis Ayala, Ronnie Belliard, Doug Bernier, Buddy Carlyle, Eric Chavez, Bartolo Colón, Neal Cotts, Freddy García, Gustavo Molina, Mark Prior, Andy Sisco, and Luis Vizcaíno. Vizcaino's contract was later voided due to injury. They also claimed outfielder Jordan Parraz off of waivers from the Boston Red Sox.
In January 2011, the Yankees signed Rafael Soriano to a three-year contract worth $35 million and agreed with Andruw Jones on a one-year, $2 million contract, pending a physical. This deal was made official on February 14.
On February 2, the Yankees acquired Justin Maxwell from the Washington Nationals in a trade for minor league pitcher Adam Olbrychowski. To make room for him on the roster, Parraz was designated for assignment.
On February 4, Andy Pettitte announced his retirement from baseball via press conference. Pettitte played 13 seasons with the Yankees and 3 with the Astros, he was a 3x All Star selection, a 5x World Series champion, and finally a 2001 ALCS MVP.
Roster
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
March/April
Facing the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day, Mariano Rivera notched his 560th career save to pull within 42 saves of surpassing Trevor Hoffman for the all-time Major League record. This also marked Rivera's third career Opening Day save.On April 3 Mark Teixeira hit his third straight home run of the season, in three consecutive days marking the first time a Yankees player had accomplished this since Dave Winfield did it in 1983. Never before—not even in their Murderers' Row days—had the Yanks hit nine homers through their first three games. Eight had been enough twice, in 1932 and '81.
Against the Minnesota Twins the Yankees hit two more home runs, coming off the bats of Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, bringing the Yankees home run total in the first four games to 11, falling short of the franchise record set at 12 in 2003. With the win clinched Iván Nova became the first rookie Yankee pitcher to record a win in the first four games of the season since Al Leiter did it in 1988.
On April 5 in the second game against the Twins, Teixeira and Andruw Jones both connected for home runs, bringing the total number hit by the Yankees in the first five games to 13, tying the franchise record set by the 1932 World Champion Yankees.
Going into the game against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 19, the Yankees hit 27 home runs in the first 14 games, the most in the history of the franchise.
May
Against the Texas Rangers on May 8, Francisco Cervelli connected for the first grand slam of his career in a 12–5 Yankee win.On May 25, Mariano Rivera made his 1,000th appearance with the Yankees, making him the 15th reliever in Major League history to accomplish the feat, and the first to do so for one team.
Facing the Seattle Mariners on May 29, Derek Jeter stole his 327th base, breaking Rickey Henderson's record for the most in Yankees history.
June
On June 24, facing the Colorado Rockies, A. J. Burnett struck out 4 batters in the 6th inning, becoming the first Yankee to accomplish this feat.Against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 30, Mark Teixeira hit the 300th home run of his career.
July
On July 9 against the Tampa Bay Rays, Derek Jeter became the first Yankee player in history and the 28th player in MLB history to join the 3,000 hit club with a home-run off David Price in the 3rd inning. He is the only player in the 3,000 hit club to record all of his hits with the New York Yankees and only the second player to record his milestone hit with a home-run, the other player being Wade Boggs. Derek is also the second player to record five hits during his 3,000th hit game, the other player being Craig Biggio, going 5-5 in the game.On July 30, against the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees scored a club record 12 runs in the first inning, en route to a 17–3 victory.
August
On August 4, the Yankees completed their first four-game sweep on the road against the Chicago White Sox since 1976 in a 7–2 victory. It was only the third instance in modern baseball history in which a team swept a four-game series without giving up a walk.Facing the Boston Red Sox, on August 5, Jeter's run scored in the sixth inning was the 1,742nd of his career, moving him past Honus Wagner for sole possession of 21st place on baseball's all-time list.
On August 25, the Yankees became the first team in history to hit three grand slam home runs in one game with a 22–9 win over the Oakland Athletics. It was done by Robinson Canó, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson.
September
On September 13 against the Seattle Mariners, Mariano Rivera became the second player in history to attain 600 saves. He also became the first to get all 600 with a single team.On September 19 against the Minnesota Twins, Mariano Rivera broke Trevor Hoffman's all-time save record with his 602nd career save.
The Yankees clinched a playoff berth on September 21 against the Tampa Bay Rays and, later that day during the 2nd game of the doubleheader, clinched their 17th American League East crown.
October and postseason
The Yankees faced off with the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. Game 1 was delayed by rain but continued a day later. Behind Robinson Canó's grand slam, the Yankees won the opener, 9-3. The Tigers won Game 2, 5–3, on the strength of a performance by Max Scherzer. When the series moved to Detroit, the Tigers took the series lead by edging the Yankees 5–4, getting a seventh-inning go-ahead Delmon Young home run. Starter A. J. Burnett, who got the starting nod because the Game 1 rainout forced the team to reshuffle its rotation, guided the Yankees to a 10–1 Game 4 win, forcing a decisive Game 5. Back home for the win-or-go-home Game 5, New York dropped a 3-2 decision to the Tigers, who jumped in front with back-to-back, first-inning solo home runs from Delmon Young and Don Kelly. In the finale, the Yankees were done in by their inability to come through with runners in scoring position, as they stranded 11 runners.Longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada retired following the 2011 postseason.