MLB playoffs: Why these Yankees finally won the ALCS - ESPN

CLEVELAND — Here's the résumé of one era for a certain big league baseball team.

It's a 14-year period. The team had a .566 winning percentage during that span, most in its league and second most overall. It never finished below .500. It had the second-most wins at home and on the road. No team had more comeback wins. Only one team scored more runs, and only one had a better run differential. Nobody hit more home runs, and it wasn't particularly close.

Of course, that's all regular-season stuff — what about the playoffs? The answers aren't as glowing, but they are still impressive. Only three teams played more postseason games. Only five won more postseason games. Only two teams hit more homers.

These are all facts from the New York Yankees' pennant drought, the period from 2010 through 2023, which finally drew to a close Saturday night. The drought — a descriptor some woebegone franchises would dispute — ended thanks to one mighty swing by Juan Soto that punctuated one of his signature meat grinder at-bats. The Yankees are back, returned to the pedestal where their fans have a historical justification for feeling they belong: on top of the American League.

«It's been a conversation every year,» ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton said. «We're here now.»

The level of success outlined above would be impressive for pretty much every franchise, even if no fan base is ever going to be completely satisfied without the payoff of pennants and World Series titles. But for denizens of the Bronx, flags are the only currency that may be redeemed for respect or validation. Such are the standards of a franchise and fan base that has now celebrated 41 pennants and is four wins from a 28th championship.

Saturday's win over Cleveland ended a