The New York Yankees haven’t had a month like this in a long time

The New York Yankees, 20-4 in August, are on a run not seen for this legendary franchise in 80 years

As the calendar turned to July in 1941, Americans were keeping a wary eye on the war ravaging Europe and the hitting streak of a man known affectionally across New York as “Joltin’ Joe.”

Joe DiMaggio entered the month with a hit in 42 consecutive games, two away from “Wee” Willie Keeler’s record. He tied Keeler by going 3-7 in a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox in Yankee Stadium on July 1, and broke the record with a home run into the left-field bleachers off Dick Newsome in the bottom of the fifth inning the next day, his brother Dom watching from center field.

DiMaggio extended his streak to a still-record 56 games before being held hitless on July 17 in Cleveland. The Indians may have slowed him down, but nothing could stop the New York Yankees that July. They ended the month with a record of 25-4 and a winning percentage of .862.

Eighty years later, the 2021 version of the Bronx Bombers is on the verge of pulling off a feat last done in the days of DiMaggio. With a 7-6 win in Oakland on Thursday night, the Yankees improved to 20-4 in August; their .833 winning percentage would be the franchise’s best for a month since that July in 1941.

With five games remaining in August, three against Oakland and two in Anaheim, the Yankees need three wins to reach 23 in a calendar month for the first time since 1962. Their win in Oakland, after surrendering a 6-0 lead, was their 12th in a row, the franchise’s longest since the summer of Maris and Mantle in 1961.

“There’s never any panic with these guys. I think they play with a lot of confidence when the game is on the line and in the balance,” manager Aaron Boone said following their ninth-inning win Thursday. “It doesn’t mean you’re always going to come through, but I know they’re not going to be rattled or overwhelmed by any situation.”

Aaron Judge drove in the winning run against the Athletics with a two-out single. The All-Star now has an OPS of .979 this month and six home runs. Giancarlo Stanton has reached base in every start in August, batting .321 with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and an OPS of 1.059. The Yankees lineup ranks third in MLB in runs scored in August.

Their pitching staff has been bolstered by a few surprise performances. Jonathan Loaisiga has given up only one run over 13.1 innings this month. Wandy Peralta hasn’t surrendered an earned run in 10 appearances. The trust Boone has in his left-hander, who began the year with the Giants, was shown on Tuesday in Atlanta when Peralta was called upon to face Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded and the Yankees hoping to preserve a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning; Peralta got the reigning NL MVP to fly out to end the game. Yankees relievers lead the AL with a 2.21 ERA during this run. New York is 5-1 in one-run games this month.

Thanks to their hot stretch, the Yankees are firmly in playoff position

The Yankees entered the month seven games behind the Rays, 6.5 behind the Red Sox, and 2.5 behind the Athletics for the final Wild Card spot. They are now 5.5 ahead of the Athletics, three games in front of the Red Sox, and within four of the Rays for the AL East lead.

Only twice before have the Yankees had a winning percentage of .830 or better in a month: in addition to July 1941, they also went 24-4 (.857) in May 1939. Both of those teams went on to win the World Series featuring legends like DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig.

Those men are now just memories preserved inside Monument Park. The current Yankees of Judge and Stanton are making their own legacy. It’s been decades since the Yankees franchise has been on a run like they are on now. If they keep it up into October, they can add another banner to the facade of Yankee Stadium, just like DiMaggio and company did 80 years ago.