Fansided

Yankees: 5 best offensive WAR seasons of the 21st century

By Ryan Morik

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 03: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees connects on his fourth inning two run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on October 3, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Twins 8-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 03: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees connects on his fourth inning two run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on October 3, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Twins 8-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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BRONX, NY – APRIL 24: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees bats against the Texas Rangers during the game on April 24, 2005 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. The Yankees defeated the Rangers 11-1. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
BRONX, NY – APRIL 24: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees bats against the Texas Rangers during the game on April 24, 2005 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. The Yankees defeated the Rangers 11-1. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /

Alex Rodriguez, 2005, 9.4 WAR

A-Rod definitely had a decent first season as a Yankee in 2004. He finished in 14th in the American League MVP voting, blasted 36 homers and drove in 106 runs. His .888 OPS and .286 batting average, however, were both the second-worst of his career up to that point. After choking in the 2004 ALCS, he had to be better.

He started off slow in 2005, however. In his first 10 games, he had just one homer, four RBI, and was hitting .205.

But he turned it around quickly.

In his next 39 games, he racked up a 1.290 OPS, and eventually ran away with his second MVP award.

He led the American League in home runs (48), slugging percentage (.610), OPS (1.031), OPS+ (173), and runs (124).

At the time, his OPS that year was the second-best of his career.

He narrowly beat out David Ortiz in that season’s MVP voting, earning 16 first place votes to Ortiz’s 11. Vladimir Guerrero earned one.

But this season was arguably Rodriguez’s most important, considering what had happened in 2004. The Yankees needed A-Rod to be the player he was from 1996 to 2003. He was that in 2005.

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