The New York Yankees defeated the Texas Rangers with a 1-0 score on Monday afternoon, behind a masterful pitching performance by Nestor Cortes Jr.
With the victory, their record stands at 20-8.
The Bombers are the first team in the American League to reach 20 wins.
“The @Yankees are the first team in the AL to reach 20 wins,” FOX Sports MLB tweeted.
The @Yankees are the first team in the AL to reach 20 wins 👏 pic.twitter.com/JbgaBVlmjO
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 9, 2022
There is only one additional 20-win team in baseball besides the Yankees: it’s their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets.
With a 20-10 record, the Mets are leading the NL East division with a comfortable cushion.
The funny thing about that is that neither team owns the best record in baseball, by winning percentage.
That honor belongs to the 19-7 Los Angeles Dodgers, with a .731 winning percentage.
The Yankees are second in MLB with .714, while the Mets are third with .667.
The Yankees And Mets Are Dominating The League
Those three squads are proving they should be considered the favorites to win their divisions and fight for a place in the World Series.
But the season is long, and all of the involved teams have hurdles to overcome.
The Yankees play in the same division as the talented Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays; the Mets have to hold off the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves; and the Dodgers not only have to worry about the San Francisco Giants, but also about the surging San Diego Padres, who are close to getting back Fernando Tatis Jr.
It’s still early, and there are questions to answer, but the Yankees and Mets are looking like legit contenders.
It has been a while, but is a welcomed development for the league.
NEXT: Aaron Judge Flashed His Speed To Give The Yankees A Close Win