Yankees History Without Mariano Rivera: A Rewritten History of the Last 15 Years

What if Mariano Rivera wasn’t a Yankee? What if the Rockies or Marlins chose him in the 1993 expansion draft? What if he was traded to the Tigers for David Wells in 1995? What if he was traded to the Mariners for Felix Fermin in 1996? What would the last 15 years have been like for the Yankees without the Sandman? Here is a rewritten history of the New York Yankees since 1995 without Mariano Rivera:

1995: (Rivera 5-3, 5.51 ERA, 0 S, 67.0 IP) The outcome remains the same. The Yankees win the first ever wild card but lose in the ALDS to the Mariners in four games (lost in five games in reality). Rivera wasn’t there in game two to pitch 3.1 shutout innings in relief leading up to Jim Leyritz’s game-winning walk off two-run home run in the 15th inning. The Yankees wind up losing game two and then lose games three and four. Visions of Griffey scoring a game-winning run in the 11th inning of game five don’t exist.

1996: (Rivera 8-3, 2.09 ERA, 5 S, 107.2 IP) The Yankees win the AL East and are able to get through the Rangers and Orioles in the ALDS and ALCS respectively. The Braves prove to be too much for the Yankees and win the World Series in six games. Mariano wasn’t there to hold down the Braves in games three and six. The Braves won the first three games of the series and the Yankees won the following two. In game six, nobody could hold off the Braves’ rallies in the 7th and 8th innings. They scored three runs combined in those two innings and one more in the 9th off John Wetteland to beat the Yankees 6-2 for their second consecutive World Series championship. In reality, the Yanks lost the first two games of the series at home but win the next four games to record their first World Series championship since 1978. Mariano had two big holds in games three and six. He posted a 0.63 ERA in the postseason with one win and four holds.

1997: (Rivera 6-4, 1.88 ERA, 43 S, 71.2 IP) The Yankees win the wild card but have 10 less wins during the regular season without Mariano. The Yanks lose to the Indians in the ALDS.

1998: (Rivera 3-0, 1.91 ERA, 36 S, 61.1 IP) This team was one of the best teams of the century with Mariano closing out games for them. They won 114 games during the regular season with Mariano, but couldn’t eclipse the 100 win plateau without him. The Yankee still roll into the playoffs but it didn’t come easy. Mariano was lights out in the 1998 postseason with a 0.00 ERA and six saves in 10 appearances (13.1 innings). The Yankees are still able to win the World Series but don’t sweep the Padres. Mariano had three saves in the World Series. Without him, it takes the Yankees six games to beat the Padres.

1999 (Rivera 4-3, 1.83 ERA, 45 S, 69 IP) Mariano pitched eight times in the 1999 postseason and the Yankees won every one of those games. For the second straight year he had a 0.00 ERA in the postseason. It’s a different story for the Yankees in the regular season without the great closer. Instead of winning the AL East over the Wild Card champion Red Sox by four games, the Sox win the AL East by three games over the Wild Card champion Yankees. This matched the Yankees up with the Indians in the ALDS who beat the Yankees in five games. Instead of Mariano hoisting up the World Series MVP trophy, it’s Jim Thome who receives World Series MVP honors as the Indians beat the Braves in the 1999 World Series.

2000 (7-4, 2.86 ERA, 36 S, 75.2 IP) The Yankees had the least amount of wins by any AL team that made the postseason (87) with Mariano. They won the AL East by 2.5 games over the Red Sox. In the absence of Mariano, the Red Sox win the AL East by two games over the Yankees. The Yankees aren’t there to beat their cross-town rival Mets in the World Series. The Mets get their first World Series championship since 1986 as they beat A-Rod and the Seattle Mariners in six games.

2001 (4-6, 2.34 ERA, 50 S, 80.2 IP) Strong starting pitching made up for a lack of a dominant closer and got the Yankees through the regular season and into the World Series. The World Series champions were the same but the story is different. There was no World Series winning hit by the Diamondbacks’ Luis Gonzalez that all kids dream of doing. The Yankees (who in reality won three games in the World Series all by one run and all saves by Mariano) blew a lead in game five when the series was tied 2-2. The D-backs crushed the Yankees in game six and won the World Series in six games over the Yankees. 

2002 (1-4, 2.74 ERA, 28 S, 46 IP) The 2002 season was similar with and without Mariano as he was injured for a good portion of the season and only pitched 46 innings and notched just 28 saves (his lowest totals as a full-time closer). The Yankees won 103 regular season games and lost to the eventual World Series champion Angels in the ALDS. 

2003 (5-2, 1.66 ERA, 40 S, 70.2 IP) Aaron Boone’s legacy as a Yankees doesn’t exist. Game seven of the ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox never made it to the 11th inning where Boone did his magic. After the Yankees scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th to tie the game 5-5, Boston scored a run in the top of the 9th but the Yankees got it back in the bottom of the 9th. In the 10th though, Boston scored one more and the Yankees couldn’t answer. Boston moved on to their first World Series since 1986 but lost to the Marlins in six games. (Reality: In game seven, Mariano pitched three scoreless innings (9th, 10th and 11th innings) and the game ended with an Aaron Boone solo home run in the bottom of the 11th which put an exclamation on a wild game and series. The Yanks lost the World Series to the Marlins in six games.)

2004 (4-2, 1.94 ERA, 53 S, 78.2 IP) The biggest collapse in postseason history (up 3-0 then losing four straight) didn’t take place because the Yankees couldn’t close the door on the Red Sox in games one or two of the ALCS. Boston went up 2-0 in the Bronx and finished the Yankees in six games. It’s the second consecutive year the Yankees fall to the Red Sox in the ALCS.

2005 (7-4, 1.38 ERA, 43 S, 78.1 IP) In reality, the Yankees win 95 games, tied with the Red Sox, but are crowned division champs because of their head-to-head record against the Sox. A Mariano-less Yankees team only musters 84 wins during the regular season and miss the playoffs by nine games of the Wild Card champion Indians.

2006 (5-5, 1.80 ERA, 34 S, 75 IP) Without Mariano the Yankees win eight less games during the regular season but still win the AL East by just two games. The Central champion Twins get the best of the Yankees in the ALDS and the Yanks go home in early October once again.

2007 (3-4, 3.15 ERA, 30 S, 71.1 IP) The Yankees win 86 games, trailing the Wild Card winning Tigers by two games. They miss the playoffs.

2008 (6-5 1.40 ERA, 39 S, 72 IP) The Yankees finish third in the AL East and miss the playoffs for the third time in four years. Injuries marred the 2008 season and the Tampa Bay Rays came out of nowhere to win the division.

2009 (3-3 1.76 ERA, 44 S, 66.1 IP) The Yankees made a huge splash in free agency but fell short in the ALCS against the Angels. The Yankees could never figure out the Angels and that continued in 2009. The Yankees offense did well in the ALCS but without a reliable closer, the Yankees lost the series in seven games to the Halos. Two of the four Angels wins in the ALCS came by runs scored in the 9th inning or later.

Summary:

With Mariano, from 1995 to 2009, the Yankees made the playoffs 14 of 15 season and won five World Series (’96, ’98, ’99,’00, ’09). Without Mariano, from 1995 to 2009,  the Yankees made the playoffs 12 of 15 seasons and only won one World Series (’98).

*This article, by all means, isn’t meant to disrespect the New York Yankees. It is to show great respect for the greatest closer in baseball history.

*All stats thanks to Baseball Reference