Yankees make wild franchise history in Marlins series

The New York Yankees left their stadium knowing that they squandered a prime opportunity to sweep the Miami Marlins on Sunday night, but they still achieved a stellar feat that could foretell loads of offensive success this season.

Aaron Boone’s squad drew 30 walks versus Marlins pitching during the weekend set, notching a new franchise record for a three-game series, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. New York’s lineup has been a subject of intense scrutiny over the years, as multiple playoff defeats have underscored a lack of depth. Elite plate discipline could give the Yankees the stability they need come October. It was certainly on display in The Bronx.

Two-time Gold Glove winner Trent Grisham worked six walks in the club’s first home series of the season, while former MVP Cody Bellinger and rising star Ben Rice each took five bases versus Miami. Aaron Judge, the man who has finished in the top-two in that category in three of the last four years, earned two free passes across the three games. The future Hall of Famer still left his mark, however, recording multiple hits each night.

When guys in the top-half of the batting order get on base, good things tend to happen. The Yankees applied constant pressure on the Marlins, and if not for a disastrous eighth inning — Jake Bird allowed three runs on one hit, one walk and one hit by pitch — they would be rolling into Monday with a five-game winning streak. Even so, New York (7-2) looks as good as any other team through the early portion of the campaign.

Fans have seen this movie before, though. Red-hot starts lose their significance when the end result is another bitter postseason elimination. Aaron Boone and the Yankees must figure out how to change this trend and maintain an air of dominance throughout the entire year, or at least when it matters most. Is this latest showcase of good judgement the missing ingredient to a long-awaited championship recipe? We shall see.