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New York Yankees: Bronx Bombers hit their 265th home run to set a new single-season MLB team record

By Paul Ashley

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees hits a home run at the top of the seventh inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 29, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees hits a home run at the top of the seventh inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 29, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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The New York Yankees are known as the Bronx Bombers around the baseball world, so it is only fitting that they are now also known as the MLB single-season home run record holders.

After the New York Yankees acquired Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins, it was widely expected that the team would rely on home runs to score runs this season.  Many also wondered if the Yankees would be able to get near the 1997 Seattle Mariners single-season home run record of 264.

Adding Stanton to a lineup that already contained Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, and Didi Gregorius provided the Yankees with a great foundation to take on that record.

Greg Bird was expected to be a mainstay at first base, Brandon Drury was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks to hold down third base, and Neil Walker was signed to provide consistency at second base.  However, all of these positions ended up seeing unexpected power contributions from other sources.

After Drury went to the disabled list with headaches, rookie Miguel Andujar was recalled from Triple-A and hit his way into being the mainstay at third base.  Bird was injured in Spring Training, so Yankees manager Aaron Boone used a combination Walker and Tyler Austin at first base until Luke Voit took over the position in August.  Walker being needed at another position also gave way for rookie Gleyber Torres to be called up at the end of April after Tyler Wade struggled filling in at second base.

There were many rumors about the Yankees acquiring Manny Machado to bolster their lineup, but general manager Brian Cashman went a more clever route by acquiring Voit from the St. Louis Cardinals for two relief pitchers that were casualties of a 40-man roster crunch situation.  Cashman also acquired Andrew McCutchen towards the end of August to provide a power upgrade over Brett Gardner in left field.

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Despite lengthy disabled list stints for Judge, Sanchez, Gregorius, and Hicks, the unexpected home run power from Voit and the rookies (Andujar and Torres) helped the team repair its power numbers.  As a team, the Yankees hit 41 home runs in March and April, 46 in May, 44 in June, 37 in July, 53 in August, and they had 39 in September prior to game 160 of the MLB season.

In game 160, Sanchez, Hicks, and Voit all added a home run of their own against the Boston Red Sox.  Aaron Judge then added his first home run since returning from the disabled list to help the Yankees tie the all-time single-season record in their rivals home park.  Then, during game 161, Torres supplied the record-breaking 265th team home run from the ninth spot in the Yankees batting order.

The power depth of this team is quite impressive and it is one of the main reasons for the Yankees breaking the previous home run record set by the Mariners in 1997.  According to baseball-reference, each spot of the batting order now has at least 20 home runs.  It happened on the same swing as the record-breaking home run by Torres as the ninth spot in the Yankees order was at 19 home runs.  The Yankees now also have the honor of being the first team to compile at least 20 home runs from every spot in the batting order.

Interestingly enough, the Yankees have also received at least 20 home runs from each position on the field, except for left field.  They are currently at 19 home runs combined from their left fielders this season.  With one more game remaining in the regular season, will the left fielder on Sunday be able to help the Yankees set yet another impressive home run feat for the team?

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Stanton also added another home run during game 161, so the Yankees now have 266 home runs as a team to further expand their own record.  As the average age of this current group is 27.3 years old, and it is expected that they will pursue Machado and Bryce Harper this upcoming offseason, will the Yankees be able to break their own newly set home run record in 2019?

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