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How the “best” Yankees team in years also became the closest team

LOS ANGELES — For months, Aaron Judge has celebrated each of his home runs by pumping his chest into the air at the end of the dugout, honoring a teammate who wasn't even there.

The New York Yankees signed Jahmai Jones to waivers two weeks into spring training. Initially considered a Triple-A low, injuries forced Jones onto the opening roster and he quickly became the Yankees' unofficial hype man, his bright smile and boundless enthusiasm constantly on display. Whenever Judge returned to the dugout after a home run, Jones was there, ready to chest-push someone nearly a foot taller than him.

On July 29, the Yankees designated the rarely used Jones for assignment. The judge was taken aback. While casual fans may have barely noticed him, Jones left an indelible impression on the captain, prompting Judge to continue his celebration alone to this day.

“I definitely miss having him up here,” Judge said. “I still do it to have fun.”

“The fact that he’s still doing it — that’s my guy,” Jones said. “From day one he took me in and showed me everything. He just let me be myself and let my personality shine through.”

The Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 because, as manager Aaron Boone puts it, this is the “best” team he's seen in his seven seasons at the helm.

But it's not just the talent that sets this team apart. It's also the closest group Boone has ever led.

“There’s no denying the closeness these guys have with each other,” Boone said. “The best team situation you can get into is when at the end of the year or at any point in the year you can really say, not because you want to but because you feel like, 'This is what I want for the next guy .' for me more than for myself.'

“That’s what we have on this team, and it’s powerful.”

The foundation for relationship building was laid long before the start of the regular season. The Yankees were determined to forget the embarrassment of the previous season, as their 82-80 record made them the franchise's worst team since 1992. Those who remained were eager to get rid of the stench associated with that performance.

At the start of this year, one thing was clear: they weren't going to go punk again. Nearly half the roster volunteered at the team's training complex in Tampa more than a month before spring training began. They wanted a head start to put last year behind them.

Judge, who lives in Tampa in the offseason, organized regular dinners for them. Nestor Cortes spent weekdays in Tampa catching up with his teammates before flying to Miami on the weekend to be with his family. Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe arrived in Tampa just after Christmas to absorb as much knowledge as he could from the veterans as he prepared for his second season.

By the end of spring training, the Yankees had a solid plan in place for Mission #28.

“We understood that enough is enough,” Clarke Schmidt said, “we have to get back to the World Series and try to win a World Series.”


Aaron Judge was instrumental in helping his team come together stronger than in previous years. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

The first sign that this year would be different for the Yankees emerged in San Francisco at the end of a grueling nine-game road trip on the West Coast.

Trailing 5-4 in the ninth inning, Juan Soto blasted a two-run home run off San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, sending the Yankees' dugout into turmoil. The Yankees finished the trip with a record of 7-2 and boarded the team plane with excitement. Tommy Kahnle animatedly ran up and down the aisles and banged on the luggage racks to ensure the celebration continued throughout the flight home. The wine flowed freely.

“You hate Tommy at first, but then you ask yourself, 'Why don't you love this guy?'” Schmidt said. “There are a lot of different personalities and big personalities here. I just think it fits together somehow.”

Marcus Stroman and Alex Verdugo, two of the club's key offseason additions, came to New York with eccentric personalities that had occasionally misled former teammates, coaches and executives in their previous stops.

However, there were no serious problems in the clubhouse this season. Stroman publicly reprimanded Gleyber Torres during an outing in Toronto because he felt the second baseman didn't play with enough intensity. But he quickly apologized and took full responsibility for his outburst. Months later, Stroman humbly accepted his relegation to the bullpen for the postseason and his exclusion from the American League Division Series roster.

Verdugo started the season by convincing his teammates to bark like dogs in the dugout after home runs. But it's been a challenging season for Verdugo. In September, the Yankees toyed with the possibility of top prospect Jason Domínguez taking Verdugo's job before the postseason. But at every opportunity, Verdugo publicly praised the rookie and gave him advice on how to navigate the challenging dimensions of Yankee Stadium in left field.

At the trade deadline, the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had a bad reputation in his former Miami Marlins clubhouse. Nevertheless, Chisholm integrated seamlessly into the Yankees' dynamic and further solidified the team's chemistry.

“I thought I was just coming to play with the baseball team,” Chisholm said, “but now I have a family.”

This family bond is evident after every win, when the Yankees present a WWE Championship belt to the player they deem to be the standout player of the night. This season, they introduced a new twist on the belt ceremony: the recipient has their photo taken by Oswaldo Cabrera, who keeps a Polaroid camera in his locker. The photo is then signed and pinned to a black poster board, where Cabrera writes inscriptions commemorating the date, the game and the player's nickname. The judge keeps the tablet in his locker.

Boone also added his own tradition. He gives a personalized game ball to a player who may not have received the belt but played a crucial role in that night's victory.

The final ball presented after a win in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series went to Soto, who hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning. During a loud celebration in the Cleveland clubhouse, Boone pulled Soto aside and handed him the ball. The two hugged and Soto proudly placed it in the middle of his locker. Soto then returned to the center of a dance circle with Schmidt as they swayed their hips to Latin music while Domínguez, Volpe and Luis Gil sprayed the excited dancers with champagne.

Keeping the clubhouse light and relaxed throughout the grueling 162-game season is critical to any team's success.

Anthony Rizzo is the butt of jokes on what he calls the club's governing body, which also includes Judge, Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton. He often calls the bullpen jokingly during games.

“He got in trouble a few times because his timing wasn't always good,” bullpen coach Mike Harkey said. “He’s lucky we have a free ship down there in the bullpen. When the phone rings, a lot of people often get upset.”

Rizzo made it midway through Game 1 of the ALCS. Carlos Rodón was out and ended up pitching seven innings. When Harkey heard the bullpen phone ringing, he immediately became suspicious.

“When I answered the phone I said, '(Rodón) better be dead,'” Harkey said. “And it was, 'Oh, it's Rizzo.'”


Anthony Rizzo has taken on the role of class clown on his Yankees team. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The tight atmosphere in the Yankees' clubhouse also helped the team get through the difficult times.

After Clay Holmes missed a walk-off home run in Game 3 of the ALCS, Boone took the time to speak with each player individually. Even though the Yankees were up 2-1 in the best-of-seven set, the Guardians had the potential to carry the momentum.

Boone went from locker to locker emphasizing the importance of each player's role, reframing the team's mindset. The Yankees rebounded, winning two straight games in Cleveland to clinch the series.

“Just showing his belief and confidence and knowing that one game isn’t going to shake that,” Holmes said of Boone’s message to him. “In a seven-game series, we’re in it for the long haul. It really comes down to how you can overcome these obstacles that will determine where you end up. His trust and belief in us was noticeable.”

At the far left end of the visiting clubhouse in Cleveland, with puddles of champagne and Budweiser forming around him, Boone was surrounded by Verdugo, Gil and Austin Wells – three players in whom he had placed great trust throughout the season. They each poured a bottle of champagne over his head. Boone smiled ear to ear.

In Kansas City, Cortes attacked Boone from behind after his ALDS victory and poured beer over his head.

“That’s my manager!” said Cortes. “That’s my manager!”


Aaron Boone (left) played a crucial role in keeping the Yankees' spirits high. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)

Amid increasing speculation about Boone's professional status in recent seasons, particularly as the club's World Series drought continued, one thing has remained unchanged: the players' unwavering commitment to him as their leader. His ability to keep the clubhouse together and focused has been one of his greatest strengths, and this year the Yankees are four wins away from their first title in 15 years.

“He is a player-coach. I think personally he’s a ‘me’ coach,” Chisholm said. “He loves everything I do. He loves the way I come onto the field dressed. He likes the way I pimp things up. He likes the way I play third base. He likes the way I swing the bat. He comes to me every day, no matter how I feel: “Keep going.” I trust you. You're my type.' Everyone here loves him.”

However, the players didn't have to rely on Boone when their season reached a crossroads in early September. At the time, they were fighting for first place with the Baltimore Orioles. After a loss at Texas, Judge gathered his teammates, closed the clubhouse doors and the veterans talked.

The meeting seemed to spark something within the Yankees, who won 12 of their next 18 games and captured the AL East crown.

Once again they had come together, determined not to suffer disappointment for the second year in a row. They hope the bonds they've made will lead them to World Series glory.

“We supported each other,” Judge said.

(Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images)

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