New York Yankees: Five biggest Yankee killers in MLB history

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The New York Yankees have to be glad to be leaving Milwaukee behind.

There, they ran into the buzzsaw known as Willy Adames. He belted a pair of homers during the series, his knack for timely hits causing the Yankees faithful a great deal of consternation. However, as Adames has mustered just a .756 OPS in his 207 plate appearances against the Yankees, it is hardly fair to call him a Yankee killer.

The five biggest foes in New York Yankees history

However, there are some players who have been able to rise to the occasion when they see the pinstripes across the diamond. Some players have, in part, made a career out of being Yankee killers, finding a way to have success against a team that has been the most successful in major league history.

Who are the five biggest Yankee killers in New York Yankees’ history? Let’s take a trek back through league history and find out.

5. Frank Lary

How good was Frank Lary against the New York Yankees? One of his nicknames was The Yankee Killer.

Even the Yankees felt they did not have a chance against Lary when he was on the mound. Casey Stengel would refuse to start Whitey Ford against him, saying that if they were going to lose anyway, what was the point? The Tigers would adjust their rotation to give Lary more starts against the Yankees, knowing that those games would typically end up as victories.

Lary was a solid pitcher over his career, posting a 128-116 record with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.267 WHiP. He struck out 1099 batters over his 2162.1 innings, issuing just 616 walks. A three time All Star and a Gold Glove winner, his career fell apart after a stellar 1961 season due to arm injuries.

As good as Lary was, he was a star against the Yankees. Although they were in the midst of their second dynasty when he set foot on the diamond, he posted a 28-13 record with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.275 WHiP in his 371.2 innings. Despite having the likes of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra in the lineup, the Yankees mustered a meager .255/.314/.394 batting line against him in 1566 plate appearances, striking out 205 times with 115 walks.

The New York Yankees just could not solve Frank Lary during his prime. After all, who else would be known by the nickname The Yankee Killer?

4. Geronimo Berroa

Geronimo Berroa spent parts of 11 seasons in the majors, typically serving as a role player with some solid pop.

He did manage three 20+ homer seasons, including a career best 36 home runs for the A’s in 1996. Overall, he posted a solid .276/.349/.449 batting line in his 2825 plate appearances, hitting 101 homers and 113 doubles. He certainly had a respectable career.

Those overall numbers were nothing compared to the damage he did to the New York Yankees. Berroa feasted on their pitching, posting a stellar .328/.430/.598 batting line in his 344 plate appearances, belting 14 homers and seven doubles. He went from being a solid player to someone who looked like a superstar once the pinstripes were across the diamond.

Considering how well he performed against them, it is a surprise that the Yankees never signed Berroa. He was a part of ten different organizations, and spent time in both the Mexican League and Korean Baseball Organization, but never put on the pinstripes himself.

3. Pedro Ciriaco

Pedro Ciriaco spent parts of six seasons in the majors, suiting up for five different organizations as a utility man. He was also in the minors for four other teams and spent time in Mexico.

One could understand if he would be forgotten these days. Ciriaco posted a .268/.294/.368 batting line in his 649 plate appearances over 272 games, hitting five homers and 32 doubles while stealing 35 bases. He was considered far more valuable for his defensive versatility than for his ability with the bat.

That is, unless he was playing the New York Yankees. Ciriaco then became a superstar, posting a .407/.429/.556 batting line in 57 plate appearances, hitting six doubles as he drove in seven runs. He also stole five bases as he was a terror on the basepaths as well.

Amazingly, most of this damage came in just one year. Ciriaco had 56 plate appearances against the Yankees in 2012 and just one in the following thee years. However, he made that time count.

(Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) /

2. David Ortiz

While he was a thorn in the side of many teams, David Ortiz took particular relish in destroying the New York Yankees.

His performance was always magnified by the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox as well as the two teams battling for divisional superiority. Ortiz always relished the spotlight, be it in the postseason or when those two teams would square off in prime time. When the lights were on, Ortiz came to life.

A fearsome slugger who eventually found his way into the Hall of Fame, Ortiz burnished those numbers against the Yankees. He posted an impressive .303/.394/.567 batting line in his 1055 plate appearances, belting 53 homers and 75 doubles. Ortiz even mustered a triple and stole two bases against the Yankees as he found any way possible to beat them.

As much as David Ortiz may have tormented the Yankees, he was not the biggest Yankee Killer in team history. Instead, that honor belongs to…

1. Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez’s dominance against the New York Yankees was even more painful considering that he went to high school in New York City.

He may have been known for his strange behavior, PED suspensions, and general insanity, but Ramirez was also a professional hitter. A 12 time All Star and nine time Silver Slugger, he was more than just a slugger – he hit over .300 11 times in his career and won the batting title in 2002. He was an all around hitting savant.

That was never truer than when he faced the Yankees. Ramirez posted a .322/.414/.617 batting line in his 861 plate appearances, hitting 55 homers and 51 doubles. He may not have had that flair for the dramatic that Ortiz did, but instead, he just kept on hitting, his steady production destroyed the Yankees anyway.

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Who is your pick as the biggest Yankee killer in team history? Let us know in the comments.

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