Yankees Risk Not Winning a Pennant for the First Decade Since 1920

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) A.J. Burnett #34, Jorge Posada #20, Derek Jeter #2, Mariano Rivera #42 (holding trophy) Robinson Cano #24 and Nick Swisher #33 of the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) A.J. Burnett #34, Jorge Posada #20, Derek Jeter #2, Mariano Rivera #42 (holding trophy) Robinson Cano #24 and Nick Swisher #33 of the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Over the span of nine decades, the Yankees have been the definition of dominance in American professional sports. Now, they risk not winning a pennant for the first decade since the 1920’s.

When Babe Ruth was traded to the New York Yankees by Harry Frazee and the Boston Red Sox in 1920, the Yankees quickly became the most dominant team in American professional sports. Since then, the Yanks have won a pennant every decade… except this one.

Here’s a list of all the pennants the Yankees have won since 1920. Bolded dates connote World Series wins.

More from Call to the Pen

  • 1920s – 1921, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1928
  • 1930s – 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939
  • 1940s – 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1949
  • 1950s – 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958
  • 1960s – 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964
  • 1970s – 1976, 1977, 1978
  • 1980s – 1981
  • 1990s – 1996, 1998, 1999
  • 2000s – 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009

With just one year left in the 2010s, if the Yankees don’t secure a pennant in 2019, it will be the first decade it has happened since the 1910’s.

This offseason, with Brian Cashman declaring the Yanks organization a “Fully operational Death Star,” the Bronx Bombers are looking to prevent the streak from ending.


The New York Yankees have already added an ace starting pitcher in James Paxton to remedy 2018’s weakest part of the team, they are now fully in on Manny Machado.

In fact, some reports have the deal already done, just not official yet.


With the Boston Red Sox, who lost Joe Kelly to the Dodgers and could lost Craig Kimbrel in free agency, and the Houston Astros, who lost Charlie Morton, Dallas Keuchel, and Marwin Gonzalez to free agency, currently fielding diminished teams next season, this is the last chance for the Yanks to clinch the AL Pennant in 2019 just got a touch easier.

Do you think the New York Yankees will be able to do it?