Impressive Power Display Is Well-Timed For The Surging New York Yankees

Twice in the last two weeks Luke Voit was right.

When the Yankees were struggling with 15 losses in 20 games, with the lowlight being the 10-run inning in Buffalo on Sept. 7, he said noted how he did not feel like teams are not scared of the Yankees right now and it was sad.

About a week later, Voit made a declarative statement when he noted: “The Bronx Bombers are back” and that was two nights before the Yankees hit five homers in an inning for the first time in team history.

Back is an understatement, at least based on the previous three nights against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees saw 541 pitches, had 115 at-bats and homered 19 times.

For all of their distinguished home run records, the Yankees added another this week, becoming the first team to homer at least six times in three straight games. In the last three games, the homers traveled a combined a 7,535 feet, which translates to nearly 1 1/2 miles.

“What a show,” Sanchez proclaimed.

“That’s an impressive series right there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Guys are in a really good place swinging the bats.”

Those understatements are putting it mildly for the Yankees, who would need to play well and get some help from the Orioles, Mets and Phillies to get the division title.

In terms of historical context, it was the seventh time in baseball history the feat was achieved. And the group of Brett Gardner, DJ LeMahieu, Voit, Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres joined the following fivesomes.

1 – 7/27/2017 Washington vs. Milwaukee – Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon.

2 – 4/22/2006 Milwaukee vs. Cincinnati – Bill Hall, Damian Miller, Brady Clark, J.J. Hardy, Prince Fielder

3 — 6/9/66 – Minnesota vs Kansas City – Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Tony Oliva, Don Mincher, Harmon Killebrew

4 – 8/23/1961 San Francisco at Cincinnati – Orlando Cepeda, Felipe Alou, Jim Davenport, Willie Mays, John Orsino

5 — June 2, 1949 – Philadelphia vs Cincinnati – Del Enis, Andy Seminick, Willie Jones, Andy Seminick, Schoolboy Rowe

6 – New York Giants vs. Cincinnati – 6/6/1939 – Joe Moore, Harry Danning, Frank Demaree, Burgess Whitehead, Manny Salvo.

Perhaps even more significant is the timing of the historical power display. It is coming while the Yankees are complete, though Aaron Judge was rested and Stanton played. When the Yankees visit Boston Friday Judge and Stanton are expected to be in the lineup together.

“I feel like we’ve got the best team out there,” Judge said. “We’ve had a lot of key guys miss some time, but I think we’re getting back to full strength at the right time. This is the best time to be hot: going into the postseason.”

Speaking of the postseason, Wednesday was the last night the Yankees could sleep in their own beds for the foreseeable future and for the Yankees through the end of October. After returning from Boston and Buffalo, the Yankees will check into a hotel for their final regular-season series next weekend at Yankee Stadium against Miami.

According to protocols, AL teams still in contention on Sept. 22 must stay in a designated hotel while at home due to ways to prevent coronavirus.

If the Yankees can keep rolling, it’s possible they’ll make at least two trips from their hotel to the Bronx by getting the fourth seed if the division becomes unattainable.

“Huge, we’re keeping the foot on the gas, that’s the plan, that’s the goal,” Stanton said of possibly getting fourth. “We’re in a good spot for it but we got to keep working.”

Even if that means Judge is not a fan of the arrangements and Boone has to start packing even more than usual.

“It’s not going to change how we approach it, you know, what we want to do and what we want to accomplish at the end of the year,” Judge said. “But I could talk for a while on it but we’ll just leave it. Not a fan.”

What the Yankees are a fan of is the loud swings from the past three nights soaring over the fences and the 27 homers resulting in eight straight wins after three shaky weeks with an injury-plagued group.

“That is a good word for [the lineup] — scary,” Stanton said of having the full lineup together. “With all of us in there, it is special and fun to be part of and coming together at the perfect time.”