NEW YORK (AP) — For the New York Yankees, the real opening day is World Series Game 1. A little bubbly for a playoff berth , the AL East , the Division Series and their 41st pennant were just warmups. World Series rings are the only numbers that count when you are measured not among the living but against the ghosts: Yogi, Joltin’ Joe, the Iron Horse, the Babe and the Mick.
“That’s why we’re here. That’s why I get up every single day. That’s why I put in the work not only at the field but in the offseason, is to just bring a championship home back to the city and back to this team,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said when spring training started in February .
“It’s been quite a long time since we’ve got to that finish line," he added, "but I think a lot of the guys and pieces that we’ve added into this room, especially a couple of changes we made in approaches, guys we brought in, it’s all going to push us towards the right direction, which is ultimately being the last team standing.” The Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since winning title No. 27 in 2009, starting Friday at the Los Angeles Dodgers or in the Bronx against the New York Mets.
A core in its 30s covets a championship as validation as much as accomplishment. Giancarlo Stanton is in his 15th major league season, Gerrit Cole his 12th and Judge his ninth. Stanton has been restrained in his assessment.
“As far as I’m concerned, we haven’t done nothing,” he said after.
