The crack of the bat echoed through Fenway Park on October 2, 1978. With the Yankees trailing by two in the seventh inning and two runners on base, a light-hitting shortstop stepped to the plate. After fouling a ball off his foot, he turned on the next pitch.
Deep to left! Carl Yastrzemski won't get it—it's a home run! A three-run blast for Bucky Dent, and the Yankees now lead 3-2. Bucky Dent has just hit his fifth home run of the year into the screen.
In a franchise defined by unforgettable moments, this one sits near the very top. Dent's soaring shot over the Green Monster sparked a Yankee victory in a one-game playoff against their most bitter rivals, erasing what had been a staggering 14-game division deficit and setting the stage for their 22nd championship. Of course, Dent never would have had his moment in the spotlight without contributions from every corner of the Yankees' roster all season long.
Fast forward to 2026, and the Yankees' starting pitchers are locked in a tight race with the Dodgers for the best rotation ERA in baseball. Yes, it's early in the season, but with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole set to rejoin this already impressive group soon, we're witnessing the makings of something special. The last time the Yankees led MLB in rotation ERA? Nearly 50 years ago, with that legendary 1978 squad. It was a top-heavy group, anchored by the incomparable Ron Guidry. But the Yankees couldn't have led baseball in rotation ERA or mounted their historic regular-season comeback without the steady contributions from every member of their pitching staff.
Let's break down the anatomy of a league-best rotation, starting with its ace. Guidry's 1978 season is the stuff of baseball folklore. After earning a starting role the year prior—going 16-7 with a 2.82 ERA—he transformed into the best pitcher in the game at age 27. He led all of baseball in wins (25), ERA (1.74), and shutouts (9). That ERA ranks third in club history, trailing only a mid-World War II season from Spud Chandler and a 1910 Deadball Era campaign from Russ Ford, aided by the emery ball. Gator also struck out 248 batters, good for third in the league behind Nolan Ryan—a testament to his dominance in an era filled with elite arms.