1986 New York Yankees

The final standing	2nd in AL East
Regular-season record	90-72 (.556)
Post-season record	Did not qualify
Divisional rank	2nd
ALDS record and opponent	Did not play
AL rank	3
ALCS record and opponent	Did not play
World Series record and opponent	Did not play
Manager	Lou Piniella
Captain	Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph
Top batter	Home run:  Don Mattingly (31), Mike Pagliarulo, Rickey Henderson (28), Dave Winfield (24) BA: Don Mattingly (.352), Mike Easler (.302), Ken Griffey Sr. (.303 in 59 games), Dan Pasqua (.293) Runs: Rickey Henderson (130), Don Mattingly (117), Dave Winfield (90), Willie Randolph (76) RBI: Don Mattingly (113), Dave Winfield (104), Mike Easler (78)
Top pitcher/ (W-L, ERA)	Dennis Rasmussen: 18-6, 3.88Bob Tewksbury: 9-5, 3.31
Attendance record	2,268,030 (4th of 14)

1986 New York Yankees season: Summary

The 1986 New York Yankees season had its share of ups and downs. Under the management of Lou Piniella, the team showed promise with a revamped roster but faced challenges in both pitching and consistency.

Offensively, the Yankees boasted stars like Don Mattingly, Dan Pasqua, Rickey Henderson, and Dave Winfield. Mattingly, in particular, shone with a .394 batting average, 31 home runs, and 113 RBIs.

Despite their batting prowess, pitching posed a hurdle. Dennis Rasmussen’s solid performance and Dave Righetti’s impressive 46 saves stood out, but the lack of a true ace and bullpen struggles hindered the team.

The season kicked off well, but mid-season losses to rivals like the Red Sox exposed vulnerabilities. The 1986 New York Yankees found themselves in a close race for the AL East title.

A pivotal September stretch saw the Yankees win 11 of 13 key games, sparking hopes of a comeback. However, earlier struggles had left them 10.5 games behind. A final sweep against the Red Sox felt symbolic, but the season concluded with a second-place finish.

Notably, 1986 marked a shift. Despite a respectable 90-72 record, it signaled the end of an era of Yankee dominance. This season, with its mix of successes and setbacks, became a turning point, setting the stage for challenges in the years to come.

An additional historical note: 1986 marked the first time since 1904 that the Yankees finished second in the standings to the Red Sox.

A new era: Piniella at the helm of 1986 New York Yankees

Lou Piniella, a familiar face in the Yankees organization with 12 opening days as a player and coach, experienced a special moment as he made his managerial debut on Opening Day in 1986. The Yankees, led by Piniella, faced the Kansas City Royals, the reigning champions, in a highly anticipated clash that marked the beginning of a 324-game journey, with hopes of reaching the World Series.

Piniella, after overseeing the team’s initial workout at Yankee Stadium, addressed concerns about star player Rickey Henderson’s left ankle injury, sustained in the last exhibition game. He assured fans that Henderson would be fit to play, contemplating whether he would take the field or Henry Cotto would cover center, depending on Henderson’s ankle status.

The managerial debut also saw strategic lineup decisions, with Piniella choosing Dale Berra as the third baseman against the left-handed Bud Black. This decision was influenced by Berra’s impressive spring performance, hitting .344 with 7 RBIs, and Mike Pagliarulo’s struggle against left-handers.

On the opposing side, the Royals, under the management of Dick Howser, made changes to their lineup, introducing Argenis Salazar as the starting shortstop over World Series standout Buddy Biancalana.

Reflecting on the significance of his first game as manager, Piniella admitted that he hadn’t truly considered Opening Day until the team landed in Newark the night before. The reality of the moment hit him, transitioning from spring training to genuine competition. He acknowledged the shift, stating, “It’s for real now; it counts.”

Ron Guidry, the Yankees’ veteran pitcher, aimed for his first Opening Day victory after six previous attempts. Expressing his desire for a win not just for himself but for the team’s strong start, Guidry emphasized the collective impact of a victory.

As the Yankees prepared for the opener, there was an air of excitement and nerves. Piniella, the rookie manager, acknowledged feeling nervous but anticipated overcoming it quickly. The game was more than just a debut; it was a chance for the Yankees to set the tone for the season ahead.

This opener marked a new chapter for the Yankees, with Piniella at the helm, steering the team through a season filled with challenges and aspirations.

1986 New York Yankees in videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRddsDmDnwM

Postseason result

(Did not qualify – Eliminated in Regular Season)

1986 New York Yankees roster

Name	Age	B	T	Ht	Wt	DoB	Yrs	G	GS	WAR	Salary
Mike Armstrong	32	R	R	6′ 3″	193	Mar 7, 1954	7	7	1	-0.2
Brad Arnsberg	22	R	R	6′ 4″	205	Aug 20, 1963	1st	2	1	0.2
Dale Berra	29	R	R	6′ 0″	180	Dec 13, 1956	10	42	35	0.5	$557,500
Henry Cotto	25	R	R	6′ 2″	178	Jan 5, 1961	3	35	19	-0.4
Ivan de Jesus	33	R	R	5′ 11″	175	Jan 9, 1953	13	7	2	-0.2
Doug Drabek	23	R	R	6′ 1″	185	Jul 25, 1962	1st	27	21	1.6	$60,000
Mike Easler	35	L	R	6′ 0″	190	Nov 29, 1950	13	146	124	2	$658,333
Juan Espino	30	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Mar 16, 1956	4	27	9	-0.5	$65,000
Mike Fischlin	30	R	R	6′ 1″	165	Sep 13, 1955	9	71	35	-0.6	$200,000
Brian Fisher	24	R	R	6′ 4″	210	Mar 18, 1962	2	62	0	-1.2	$120,000
Ken Griffey	36	L	L	5′ 11″	190	Apr 10, 1950	14	59	43	0.8	$1,050,000
Ron Guidry	35	L	L	5′ 11″	161	Aug 28, 1950	12	30	30	2.5	$975,000
Ron Hassey	33	L	R	6′ 2″	200	Feb 27, 1953	9	64	50	1.6	$400,873
Rickey Henderson HOF	27	R	L	5′ 10″	180	Dec 25, 1958	8	153	149	6.3	$1,570,000
Leo Hernandez	26	R	R	5′ 11″	170	Nov 6, 1959	4	7	6	0.1
Al Holland	33	R	L	5′ 11″	207	Aug 16, 1952	9	25	1	-0.6
Tommy John	43	R	L	6′ 3″	180	May 22, 1943	23	13	10	1.5	$60,000
Ron Kittle	28	R	R	6′ 4″	200	Jan 5, 1958	5	30	21	0
Bryan Little	26	B	R	5′ 10″	160	Oct 8, 1959	5	14	13	-0.3
Phil Lombardi	23	R	R	6′ 2″	200	Feb 20, 1963	1st	20	9	0.3
Don Mattingly	25	L	L	6′ 0″	175	Apr 20, 1961	5	162	162	7.2	$1,375,000
Bob Meacham	25	B	R	6′ 1″	175	Aug 25, 1960	4	56	50	-0.1
John Montefusco	36	R	R	6′ 1″	180	May 25, 1950	13	4	0	0.5	$716,667
Joe Niekro	41	R	R	6′ 1″	185	Nov 7, 1944	20	25	25	-0.6	$750,000
Scott Nielsen	27	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Dec 18, 1958	1st	10	9	0.6
Mike Pagliarulo	26	L	R	6′ 1″	205	Mar 15, 1960	3	149	133	2.8	$120,000
Dan Pasqua	24	L	L	6′ 0″	203	Oct 17, 1961	2	102	70	2.5	$70,000
Alfonso Pulido	29	L	L	5′ 11″	170	Jan 23, 1957	3	10	3	0.2
Willie Randolph	31	R	R	5′ 11″	165	Jul 6, 1954	12	141	137	4.1	$1,060,000
Dennis Rasmussen	27	L	L	6′ 7″	230	Apr 18, 1959	4	31	31	3.2	$100,000
Dave Righetti	27	L	L	6′ 4″	195	Nov 28, 1958	7	74	0	3.8	$837,500
Gary Roenicke	31	R	R	6′ 3″	205	Dec 5, 1954	10	69	35	-0.4	$658,333
Rod Scurry	30	L	L	6′ 2″	180	Mar 17, 1956	7	31	0	0.3	$450,000
Bob Shirley	32	R	L	5′ 11″	180	Jun 25, 1954	10	39	6	-0.1	$750,000
Joel Skinner	25	R	R	6′ 4″	198	Feb 21, 1961	4	54	52	-0.1
Tim Stoddard	33	R	R	6′ 7″	230	Jan 24, 1953	10	24	0	0.5
Bob Tewksbury	25	R	R	6′ 4″	200	Nov 30, 1960	1st	23	20	2.3
Wayne Tolleson	30	B	R	5′ 9″	160	Nov 22, 1955	6	60	59	1.6
Claudell Washington	31	L	L	6′ 0″	190	Aug 31, 1954	13	54	29	0.1
Ed Whitson	31	R	R	6′ 3″	195	May 19, 1955	10	14	4	-1.2	$800,000
Dave Winfield HOF	34	R	R	6′ 6″	220	Oct 3, 1951	14	154	146	3.1	$1,886,714
Butch Wynegar	30	B	R	6′ 1″	190	Mar 14, 1956	11	61	52	0	$733,333
Paul Zuvella	27	R	R	6′ 0″	173	Oct 31, 1958	5	21	18	-0.8

1986 New York Yankees additions, transactions, and trades

November 1985

• November 2, 1985: Butch Wynegar became a Free Agent.
• November 7, 1985: Bob Geren signed as a free agent.
• November 12, 1985: Marty Bystrom, Joe Niekro, Phil Niekro became Free Agents. Don Cooper, John Montefusco, Matt Winters were released.
• November 13, 1985: Marty Bystrom signed as a free agent.

December 1985

• December 6, 1985: Traded Billy Sample to the Atlanta Braves, acquired Miguel Sosa (minors).
• December 11, 1985: Juan Bonilla released. Traded a player (to be named later) to the Cleveland Indians, received Mike Fischlin. Kevin Trudeau (minors) sent to the Cleveland Indians on April 11, 1986, to complete the trade.
• December 12, 1985: Traded Joe Cowley and Ron Hassey to the Chicago White Sox, acquired Glenn Braxton (minors), Mike Soper (minors), Britt Burns. Traded Rich Bordi and Rex Hudler to the Baltimore Orioles, received a player (to be named later) and Gary Roenicke. Leo Hernandez sent to the New York Yankees on December 16, 1985, to complete the trade. Lorenzo Gray released before the 1986 season.

January 1986

• January 8, 1986: Joe Niekro, Phil Niekro, and Butch Wynegar signed as free agents.
• January 11, 1986: Traded players (to be named later) and Jim Deshaies to the Houston Astros, received Joe Niekro. Neder Horta (minors) (September 24, 1985), and Dody Rather (minors) (January 11, 1986) sent to the Houston Astros to complete the trade.
• January 14, 1986: Dean Wilkins drafted in the 2nd round, and Darrin Chapin in the 6th round of the 1986 amateur draft (January).

February 1986

• February 6, 1986: Al Holland signed as a free agent.
• February 13, 1986: Traded Glenn Braxton (minors), Neil Allen, Scott Bradley, and cash to the Chicago White Sox, received Chris Alvarez (minors), Eric Schmidt (minors), Ron Hassey, and Matt Winters.

March 1986

• March 17, 1986: John Montefusco signed as a free agent.
• March 25, 1986: Tom Gilles released.
• March 28, 1986: Phil Niekro released. Traded Don Baylor to the Boston Red Sox, and received Mike Easler.

April 1986

• April 4, 1986: Al Holland released.
• April 10, 1986: Al Holland signed as a free agent.

May 1986

• May 1, 1986: Ivan de Jesus signed as a free agent.
• May 2, 1986: Tommy John signed as a free agent.

June 1986

• June 1986: Clay Christiansen released.
• June 2, 1986: Rich Scheid drafted in the 2nd round, Tim Layana in the 3rd round, Steve Rosenberg in the 4th round, John Ramos in the 5th round, Hal Morris in the 8th round, Andy Stankiewicz in the 12th round, Scott Kamieniecki in the 14th round, Steve Adkins in the 15th round, Turner Ward in the 18th round, Kevin Maas in the 22nd round. Chris Howard also signed as an amateur free agent.
• June 16, 1986: Chris Howard released.
• June 24, 1986: Ivan de Jesus released.
• June 30, 1986: Traded Ken Griffey and Andre Robertson to the Atlanta Braves, received Claudell Washington and Paul Zuvella.

July 1986

• July 2, 1986: Purchased Bryan Little from the Chicago White Sox.
• July 4, 1986: Ozzie Canseco released.
• July 9, 1986: Traded Ed Whitson to the San Diego Padres, received Tim Stoddard.
• July 27, 1986: Dale Berra released.
• July 30, 1986: Traded a player (to be named later), Ron Hassey, and Carlos Martinez to the Chicago White Sox, received Ron Kittle, Joel Skinner, and Wayne Tolleson. Bill Lindsey sent to the Chicago White Sox on December 24, 1986, to complete the trade.

August 1986

• August 8, 1986: Al Holland released.

October 1986

• October 15, 1986: Matt Winters became a Free Agent. Leo Hernandez and Bryan Little released.

1986 New York Yankees: Player debuts

• Brad Arnsberg – 09-06-1986 – 23 years old
• Doug Drabek – 05-30-1986 – 23 years old
• Phil Lombardi – 04-26-1986 – 23 years old
• Scott Nielsen – 07-07-1986 – 27 years old
• Bob Tewksbury – 04-11-1986 – 25 years old

1986 New York Yankees stats (batting)

Pos	Name	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA
C	Butch Wynegar	30	61	226	194	19	40	4	1	7	29	0	0	30	21	0.206
1B	Don Mattingly	25	162	742	677	117	238	53	2	31	113	0	0	53	35	0.352
2B	Willie Randolph	31	141	601	492	76	136	15	2	5	50	15	2	94	49	0.276
SS	Wayne Tolleson	30	60	236	215	22	61	9	2	0	14	4	4	14	33	0.284
3B	Mike Pagliarulo	26	149	565	504	71	120	24	3	28	71	4	1	54	120	0.238
LF	Dan Pasqua	24	102	332	280	44	82	17	0	16	45	2	0	47	78	0.293
CF	Rickey Henderson	27	153	701	608	130	160	31	5	28	74	87	18	89	81	0.263
RF	Dave Winfield	34	154	652	565	90	148	31	5	24	104	6	5	77	106	0.262
DH	Mike Easler	35	146	546	490	64	148	26	2	14	78	3	2	49	87	0.302
C	Ron Hassey	33	64	219	191	23	57	14	0	6	29	1	1	24	16	0.298
LF	Ken Griffey	36	59	219	198	33	60	7	0	9	26	2	2	15	24	0.303
SS	Bob Meacham	25	56	185	161	19	36	7	1	0	10	3	6	17	39	0.224
C	Joel Skinner	25	54	174	166	6	43	4	0	1	17	0	4	7	40	0.259
LF	Gary Roenicke	31	69	165	136	11	36	5	0	3	18	1	1	27	30	0.265
OF	Claudell Washington	31	54	144	135	19	32	5	0	6	16	6	1	7	33	0.237
IF	Dale Berra	29	42	121	108	10	25	7	0	2	13	0	0	9	14	0.231
SS	Mike Fischlin	30	71	116	102	9	21	2	0	0	3	0	1	8	29	0.206
DH	Ron Kittle	28	30	89	80	8	19	2	0	4	12	2	0	7	23	0.238
OF	Henry Cotto	25	35	83	80	11	17	3	0	1	6	3	0	2	17	0.213
SS	Paul Zuvella	27	21	57	48	2	4	1	0	0	2	0	0	5	4	0.083
2B	Bryan Little	26	14	43	41	3	8	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0.195
UT	Phil Lombardi	23	20	41	36	6	10	3	0	2	6	0	0	4	7	0.278
C	Juan Espino	30	27	40	37	1	6	2	0	0	5	0	0	2	9	0.162
3B	Leo Hernandez	26	7	23	22	2	5	2	0	1	4	0	0	1	8	0.227
SS	Ivan de Jesus	33	7	5	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
	Team Totals	29.3	162	6325	5570	797	1512	275	23	188	745	139	48	645	911	0.271
	Rank in 14 AL teams				3	4	3	3	12	3		2	5	2	6	2

1986 New York Yankees stats (pitching)

Pos	Name	Age	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER
SP	Dennis Rasmussen	27	18	6	0.75	3.88	31	31	0	3	1	0	202	160	91	87
SP	Ron Guidry	35	9	12	0.429	3.98	30	30	0	5	0	0	192.1	202	94	85
SP	Doug Drabek	23	7	8	0.467	4.1	27	21	2	0	0	0	131.2	126	64	60
SP	Bob Tewksbury	25	9	5	0.643	3.31	23	20	0	2	0	0	130.1	144	58	48
SP	Joe Niekro	41	9	10	0.474	4.87	25	25	0	0	0	0	125.2	139	84	68
CL	Dave Righetti	27	8	8	0.5	2.45	74	0	68	0	0	46	106.2	88	31	29
RP	Bob Shirley	32	0	4	0	5.04	39	6	9	0	0	3	105.1	108	60	59
RP	Brian Fisher	24	9	5	0.643	4.93	62	0	26	0	0	6	96.2	105	61	53
RP	Al Holland	33	1	0	1	5.09	25	1	10	0	0	0	40.2	44	29	23
RP	Rod Scurry	30	1	2	0.333	3.66	31	0	10	0	0	2	39.1	38	18	16
	Tommy John	43	5	3	0.625	2.93	13	10	2	1	0	0	70.2	73	27	23
	Scott Nielsen	27	4	4	0.5	4.02	10	9	1	2	2	0	56	66	29	25
	Tim Stoddard	33	4	1	0.8	3.83	24	0	6	0	0	0	49.1	41	23	21
	Ed Whitson	31	5	2	0.714	7.54	14	4	6	0	0	0	37	54	37	31
	Alfonso Pulido	29	1	1	0.5	4.7	10	3	3	0	0	1	30.2	38	17	16
	John Montefusco	36	0	0		2.19	4	0	1	0	0	0	12.1	9	3	3
	Mike Armstrong	32	0	1	0	9.35	7	1	4	0	0	0	8.2	13	9	9
	Brad Arnsberg	22	0	0		3.38	2	1	1	0	0	0	8	13	3	3
	Team Totals	30.4	90	72	0.556	4.11	162	162	149	13	3	58	1443.1	1461	738	659
	Rank in 14 AL teams		3	12		8				14	6	1	6	8	8	7

1986 New York Yankees vs. opponents/ team splits

Opponent (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
Baltimore Orioles (13)	8	5	0.615
Boston Red Sox (13)	8	5	0.615
California Angels (12)	5	7	0.417
Chicago White Sox (12)	6	6	0.500
Cleveland Indians (13)	8	5	0.615
Detroit Tigers (13)	7	6	0.538
Kansas City Royals (12)	8	4	0.667
Milwaukee Brewers (13)	5	8	0.385
Minnesota Twins (12)	8	4	0.667
Oakland Athletics (12)	5	7	0.417
Seattle Mariners (12)	8	4	0.667
Texas Rangers (12)	7	5	0.583
Toronto Blue Jays (13)	7	6	0.538

1986 New York Yankees: Monthly record

Month (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
April (20)	14	6	0.700
May (28)	16	12	0.571
June (28)	12	16	0.429
July (26)	14	12	0.538
August (29)	14	15	0.483
September (26)	16	10	0.615
October (5)	4	1	0.800

1986 New York Yankees All-Stars

• Dave Winfield
• Rickey Henderson
• Dave Righetti
• Don Mattingly

1986 New York Yankees: Awards and honors

Gold Glove Awards

• Ron Guidry
• Don Mattingly

Silver Slugger Award

Don Mattingly

Relief Man Award

Dave Righetti

All-Star Appearances

• Dave Winfield
• Rickey Henderson
• Dave Righetti
• Don Mattingly

League Leaders

• Rickey Henderson led the American League in stolen bases with 87.
• Rickey Henderson led the American League in runs scored with 130.
• Don Mattingly led the American League in hits with 238.

Single-Season Records

• Don Mattingly set Yankees single-season records for hits (238) and doubles (53).
• Dave Righetti set a Major League record (since broken) for the most saves in one season by a relief pitcher with 46.

Other Achievements

• Don Mattingly finished 2nd in AL MVP Voting.
• Dave Righetti finished 10th in AL MVP Voting.
• Dave Righetti finished 4th in AL Cy Young Award Voting.
• Lou Piniella finished 5th in AL Manager of the Year Voting.

How do you rate the 1986 New York Yankees?