As the holiday season fills the air with cheer, let’s take a moment to reflect on the unforgettable moments that made 2024 a banner year for the New York Yankees. From historic performances to exciting acquisitions, the Bronx Bombers brought joy to their fans…for part of the year, anyway. As we count down The Twelve Days of a 2024 New York Yankees Christmas, here’s a look back at the key moments that defined the year:
On the first day of Christmas…
The Yankees finished first in the American League with the best record of 94-68. They clinched the American League pennant, earning their 41st trip to the World Series in franchise history, and first in 15 years since making their last World Series appearance in 2009.
On the second day of Christmas…
For the second time in his career, the Yankees’ 16th Captain Aaron Judge was unanimously named the 2024 American League Most Valuable Player, securing all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. For most of the season, Judge led Major League Baseball and achieved career highs in several major batting categories, finishing first with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and a 1.159 OPS. His performance is considered one of the best offensive seasons in history, surpassed only by Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds.
In addition to the MVP, Judge received the Silver Slugger award, was named to the All-MLB First Team, and earned the Hank Aaron Award, recognizing his outstanding offensive contributions.
On the third day of Christmas…
On July 6, 2024, Ben Rice became the first rookie in Yankees franchise history to hit three home runs in one game.
In addition, the Yankees’ bullpen had a historic postseason, posting the third-most innings covered by a bullpen without an earned run in a postseason series, behind 18 1/3 by the Twins against the Blue Jays in the 1991 ALCS and 17 by the Dodgers against the Cubs in the 2017 NLCS.
“That’s why it’s so important getting a lead,” Judge said. “You get a lead, get our starter feeling comfortable and then hand it off to that bullpen. They’re so electric. We’ve got so many different guys that can match up well against different types of hitters. So hats off to them. It’s about getting the lead and throwing it to those guys.”
On the fourth day of Christmas…
Jazz Chisholm made his debut in the away greys at Fenway Park after the Yankees acquired him from the Marlins at the trade deadline. Chisholm became the first player in Yankees’ history to hit four home runs in his first three games with the team.
On December 17th, the Yankees traded the Cubs for utility outfielder Cody Bellinger, who is a legacy of the Bronx Bombers. Bellinger and his dad, Clay, will become the fourth father-son duo to have played for the Yankees.
On the fifth day of Christmas…
In his fifth season as a Yankee, Gerrit Cole reached 150 career wins, a feat just three other active MLB players have reached. On November 5, 2024, it was announced that Cole would remain a Yankee today, tomorrow, forever, at least through 2028. Following the 2024 season, Cole waived his opt-out to remain under the $144 million deal he had originally agreed to in 2019.
We won’t talk about the other thing that was significant about the number five for the Bronx Bombers this year.
On the sixth day of Christmas…
The “Ferocious Jungle Cat” Luke Weaver emerged as the team’s closer, and one of the league’s best, after joining his sixth team. After signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Yankees as rotation depth, Weaver emerged as a key bullpen piece. He became the first Yankees pitcher since Aroldis Chapman in 2017 with multiple five-out saves in a postseason and the first in MLB to save his team’s first four playoff wins since Neftalí Feliz in 2011. From Sept. 2 until Jose Ramirez’s homer in Game 2 of the ALCS, Weaver didn’t allow an earned run over 17 innings and 13 appearances. Though Yankees’ Manager Aaron Boone never officially named him closer, Weaver took on the role after Clay Holmes was removed on Sept. 3, earning his first career save three days later. Weaver finished the postseason with a 1.76 ERA, 16 strikeouts across 15.1 innings, and 4 saves.
On the seventh day of Christmas…
In his seventh season in pinstripes Giancarlo Stanton hit seven home runs in the postseason, tying him with Mickey Mantle for the third most career postseason home runs at 18 behind Bernie Williams (22) and Derek Jeter (20), and ranking him above Babe Ruth (15) and Aaron Judge (13). Stanton earned the 2024 ALCS MVP honors for his offensive prowess. Also, for the 10th time in his career, he finished the regular season with 25 or more home runs which makes him the only active player to have achieved this feat. He now leads all active MLB players with 429 career regular season home runs.
On the eighth day of Christmas…
The Yankees made a blockbuster move on December 18th, acquiring ace left-hander Max Fried on an eight-year, $218 million deal. Fried, a two-time All-Star and 2021 World Series Champion, joins the Yankees with an impressive résumé that includes a career 3.07 ERA, three Gold Glove Awards, and a reputation as one of baseball’s most reliable starting pitchers. Over the past five seasons (2020-24), Max Fried has established himself as one of the most dominant starters in baseball. The left-hander has posted an impressive 54-25 record with a 2.81 ERA over 112 starts, spanning 659 innings. During this stretch, he has allowed just 553 hits, 49 home runs, and 167 walks while striking out 624 batters. His accomplishments include five complete games, four of them shutouts, and he has maintained an ERA of 3.25 or lower in each of those seasons. Fried’s 2.81 ERA leads all Major League pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched during this period, and his .684 winning percentage ranks second in the majors. With this acquisition, the Yankees address a key need, bolstering their rotation and signaling their commitment to competing for a championship.
On the ninth day of Christmas…
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto had one of the most historic seasons a pair of teammates has had since Maris and Mantle and Ruth and Gehrig, combining for a 9.53 WAR. Aaron Judge led MLB with 58 home runs, while Juan Soto added 41, making them the first Yankees teammates to each hit 40 home runs in a season since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. This feat marks only the 33rd time in MLB history that two teammates have reached the 40-homer mark in the same season, including four instances where three teammates accomplished it. Judge also led MLB with 144 RBIs, while Soto surpassed 100 RBIs, making them the first Yankees duo to achieve 100 RBIs in the same season since 2011. Unsurprisingly, but deservedly so, the pair both made the 2024 All-MLB Team and earned the Silver Slugger award.
On the tenth day of Christmas…
Luis Gil became the 10th player in Yankees history to earn the Baseball Writers’ Association American League Rookie of the Year honors, which is the most of any AL team. Gil wrapped up the season with a 15-7 record, a 3.50 ERA, and 171 strikeouts over 29 starts (151 2/3 innings) for the Yankees. The 26-year-old shined in May, posting an incredible 0.70 ERA across six starts, covering 38 2/3 innings, with 44 strikeouts and 12 walks. In 17 of his 29 starts, Gil allowed one run or fewer, tying him with Tarik Skubal (Tigers) and Garrett Crochet (White Sox) for the most such starts in MLB this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, his 17 starts with one or no runs allowed rank second all-time among MLB rookies, behind only George McQuillan’s 21 for the Phillies in 1908. Additionally, Gil’s 171 strikeouts in 2024 are the second-most by a Yankees rookie in franchise history, trailing only Russ Ford’s 209 in 1910.
On the eleventh day of Christmas…
The Yankees bolstered their bullpen by acquiring All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Brewers in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. Williams wears the number 38, but the number 11 holds a special significance in his career. On 11/11/20, Williams became the 11th reliever in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year Award, and the first to do so without recording a single save during the season. His dominant performance that year included a record-breaking 0.33 ERA, the lowest ever for a rookie pitcher with at least 25 innings pitched. Williams, a dominant reliever with a career 1.93 ERA and the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year, brings his elite “Airbender” changeup to the Bronx.
On the twelfth day of Christmas…
The Yankees veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt agreed to a one-year, $12.5 million deal. The Yankees are counting on the seven-time All-star and four-time Gold Glover Award winner to boost their first base production, a position that lacked power in 2024. Yankees first basemen posted a weak .216/.284/.335 slash line with 16 home runs, most of which came from Anthony Rizzo, who is now a free agent. In contrast, Goldschmidt hit .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs for the Cardinals last season, his lowest offensive output to date. His 98 OPS+ in 2024 marked the first time in his career that he finished as a below-average hitter. Goldschmidt was the league’s National League MVP in 2022, when he posted a .981 OPS and 35 home runs.
