“Bad” would be a direct-yet-fitting word to describe the end of the regular season for the 2000 Yankees. They wrapped things up by losing 15 of their final 18 games, which included seven in a row to finish it out. Both the Devil Rays and Orioles swept them away, and they only clinched the AL East because Boston also lost on a night in which the Yankees lost by 11. The vibes could not be lower, and they had to rest on their laurels to hope that they could turn it around come October.

The White Sox were the AL’s best team in 2000, and they faced the Wild Card-winning Mariners in their ALDS matchup. The Yankees drew the up-and-coming Athletics, who captured the AL West to earn their first playoff trip in eight years. All three other AL clubs had more wins than the Yanks’ seemingly paltry 87.

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