New York Yankees: Five biggest Yankee killers in MLB history

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?