Judge leads Yanks' Top 10 players of the 2010s

Judge leads Yanks' Top 10 players of the 2010s

December 20th, 2019

Each decade has featured some of baseball’s greatest players sporting Yankees pinstripes, and the 2010s were no exception. Beginning with an on-field ceremony in which the “Core Four” received their fifth and final World Series rings, fans have been treated to seeing some of the best and brightest represent their organization.

As we prepare to flip the calendar into the 2020s, MLB.com sought to determine the best Yankees of the last 10 seasons. Please join us for a trip down (recent) memory lane that is sure to spark some debate:

1.
Seasons: 2016-19

Judge developed into one of the most recognizable faces in the sport thanks to his 52-homer American League Rookie of the Year campaign and a winning performance at the 2017 Home Run Derby in Miami. By early 2017, “The Judge’s Chambers” had been constructed in Yankee Stadium’s right field, paying homage to a franchise talent who hit .273/.394/.558 with 110 homers and 246 RBIs through the first 396 regular-season games of his career. Judge’s .952 OPS is by far the best of any Yankee in the decade.

2.
Seasons: 2010-19

Sabathia spent most of the decade as the Yankees’ ace, transitioning from the workhorse who helped deliver the club’s 27th World Series championship into a craftier version of himself. Sabathia compiled a 23.9 WAR over the decade, going 115-80 with a 3.87 ERA and 1,503 strikeouts in 273 games (272 starts), spanning 1,688 innings. Sabathia’s time in New York promises a space in Monument Park and -- many believe -- enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

3.
Seasons: 2010-13

Rivera was still on top of his game when he retired at age 43 following the 2013 season, and as manager Aaron Boone said this past year, he could probably still get big league hitters out. Rivera’s final four big league seasons (really three, since his 2012 season was cut short by a knee injury) saw the game’s greatest closer compile 126 saves and finish 178 games, posting a 1.95 ERA (216 ERA+) while striking out 167 against 30 walks in 193 2/3 innings.

4.
Seasons: 2014-19

Tanaka made an immediate impact upon landing in the United States, going 11-3 with a 2.10 ERA through his first 16 big league starts. Though Tanaka sustained a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament that prompted changes to his approach, he has remained a reliable contributor atop the rotation, producing a 17.4 WAR while compiling a 75-43 record with a 3.75 ERA (113 ERA+) and 4.9 percent walk rate in 164 games (163 starts) wearing pinstripes.

5.
Seasons: 2015-19

Presented with the challenge of following up Derek Jeter as the Yankees’ shortstop, Gregorius has excelled over five seasons in New York, compiling a 13.9 WAR while batting .269/.313/.446 with 97 home runs and 360 RBIs in 660 games. A positive clubhouse presence, Gregorius also contributed some of the most memorable postseason hits of the decade, including his three-run homer in the first inning of the 2017 AL Wild Card Game against the Twins.

6.
Seasons: 2010-19

The longest-tenured Yankee, Gardner has been a staple in the outfield and a team leader in the dugout, qualities which project to extend his time with the Bombers. Gardner produced a higher WAR (38.0) than any other Yankees player over the 2010s, batting .260/.344/.405 with 810 runs scored, 121 homers, 485 RBIs and 228 stolen bases in 1,349 games. Gardner won a Gold Glove Award in 2016 and hit 28 homers with 74 RBIs in 2019, both career highs.

7.
Seasons: 2011-19

A four-time All-Star, Betances was one of the most consistent members of the Yankees’ powerful bullpen from 2014 through 2018. The 6-foot-8 right-hander produced a 177 ERA+ that ranks as the best by any Yankees hurler over the decade (minimum 200 innings), handcuffing opponents to a .170 batting average and 2.36 ERA over 358 appearances. His 10.892 WPA (Win Probability Added) rated second among Yankees hurlers in the 2010s.

8.
Seasons: 2010-13

When Canó opted for the Mariners’ 10-year contract offer after the 2013 season, he left New York as one of the most productive middle infielders in the sport, having produced a 30.1 WAR over the first four years of the decade. Canó batted .312/.373/.533 over those years, averaging 29 homers and 107 RBIs across those 640 games. What would have happened if Canó stayed in New York? At the very least, the Yankees would not have signed Jacoby Ellsbury.

9.
Seasons: 2015-19

Severino presents an interesting case, having excelled as a 21-year-old in the second half of 2015, then struggled markedly in 2016 only to rebound and ascend to the title of ace in the next two seasons. While Severino missed almost all of this past year due to injuries, he is 42-26 with a 3.46 ERA (125 ERA+) thus far in his big league career, producing a 27 percent strikeout rate against a 6.9 percent walk rate.

10.
Seasons: 2010-16

No Yankee hit more homers in the decade than Teixeira, who mashed 167 blasts and collected 500 RBIs through the final seven years of his playing career. Though his productivity was hampered by injuries later in his time as the Bombers’ first baseman, the switch-hitting Teixeira produced a 15.2 WAR in the 2010s while logging a .796 OPS in 802 games. A stellar defender, Teixeira also won two Gold Gloves in 2010 and 2012.

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