New York Yankees: The 10 biggest mistakes the Yankees ever made

By Ryan Morik | May 24, 2020

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 30: Jacoby Ellsbury #22 of the New York Yankees reacts in pain after hitting the ball off his foot in an MLB baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 30, 2017 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Yankees won 2-1. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

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New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu prepares to deliver a pitch to an Anaheim Angels batter during game 13 May 1999 at Yankee Stadium. Irabu lasted seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out five. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo by STAN HONDA / AFP) (Photo by STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images) /

5. Signing Hideki Irabu

Irabu, a Japanese phenom, made it known he would only play for the Yankees, but his 1997 acquisition turned out to be a bad, bad move.

After some complicated circumstance where the Padres bought his contract, he was traded to New York, signed a four-year, $12.8 million deal, and almost immediately was plugged into the rotation.

But his first year in the big leagues was troubling. Despite a 9.5 K/9, he allowed 42 earned runs in 53.1 innings, good for a 7.09 ERA. He and George Steinbrenner wound up having some beef, despite his respectable 1998 season.

But he underwhelmed once again in 1999, and was traded to the Montreal Expos for Ted Lilly, Christian Parker, and Jake Westbrook. I’m sure the Expos regretted that one too, as he made just 14 starts for them in two years.

The Yankees did okay despite Irabu’s performance — the 1998 Yankees are the best team of all time, and they won again in 1999 — making this rank at No. 5 instead of in the top three.

(Side note: this is another move that Frank Costanza absolutely hated, and he let Steinbrenner know in Seinfeld’s final episode.)

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