"I’d better not see any of you guys wearing these around.” - The Yankees gear up for a World Series Rematch

LOS ANGELES – After sweeping the Angels, the Yankees will face the Dodgers this weekend in a nationally televised series. The last time the Yankees and Dodgers met, it was a forgettable night for New York — one that still lingers in the minds of many fans.

The Yankees recently received their American League Championship Series rings, but the moment was met with a sense of unfinished business. Giancarlo Stanton addressed the team after the ceremony, saying, “This isn’t the one we wanted, boys. The one that we want is in front of us. I’d better not see any of you guys wearing these around.”

Stanton’s message reflects the mindset inside the Yankees’ clubhouse — focused and determined to win a championship, something they have said they had in the past, but I think getting to the dance and coming up short gives more of a sense of urgency to win a ring, and now.

Other players, including Carlos Rodón, shared strong reactions to receiving the ALCS rings. “First loser, that’s what it represented to me,” Rodón said (Hoch, n.d.).

Clarke Schmidt expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with Bryan Hoch of MLB.com: “I don’t want to walk around with this runner-up or second-place ring from when I was with the Yankees, looking back and saying, ‘That was my shining moment.’ That’s just the standard here. We’re trying to win the World Series – every single year” (Hoch, n.d.).

Even Anthony Volpe, who is typically soft-spoken, told MLB.com, “In hindsight, it commemorates the journey of getting there, you think of the celebrations, the guys on the team that aren’t here anymore. But at the end of the day, I just put it away. I don’t need to see it again” (Hoch, n.d.). Volpe delivered arguably the biggest hit of the Yankees’ World Series run, launching a go-ahead grand slam in Game 4.

It is evident that losing the World Series is not enough for this Yankees team, and their aspirations clearly extend beyond past accomplishments. Entering play on Friday, the Yankees are the hottest team in baseball and hold a seven-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East.

While the Yankees-Dodgers series is expected to draw significant attention due to the events of the World Series and its aftermath — particularly involving the Dodgers — the Yankees remain focused. Their goal is to win a championship, and there is a strong sense within the team that 2025 could be the year. However, the path back to the World Series will be long and challenging.

Reference

Hoch, B. (n.d.). MLB.com. https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-receive-al-champ-rings-ahead-of-series-vs-dodgers