| 59-48 | Lost WS |
| Record | Outcome |
The New York Yankees finished the regular season with a 59-48 record. They went 32-19 at home and 27-29 on the road. Including the postseason, the New York Yankees went 67-54. Their final game was a loss in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 1981 New York Yankees played in the East Division of the American League.
During the regular season, the 1981 New York Yankees went 26-26 against their AL East opponents.
The Yankees won the AL East in the 1981 season with a 59-48 record. The Brewers finished 2 games ahead with a 62-47 record, but due to season specific rules they didn't win the division. The Orioles finished 1 games ahead with a 59-46 record, but due to season specific rules they didn't win the division. The Tigers finished with the same record but lost on a tiebreaker. The Red Sox finished with the same record but lost on a tiebreaker. The Indians finished 5 games back with a 52-51 record. The Blue Jays finished 21.5 games back with a 37-69 record.
| Opponent | Record | Win Percentage % | Run Differential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers | 7-3 | 70% | +15 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 3-3 | 50% | +9 |
| Boston Red Sox | 3-3 | 50% | +2 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 6-7 | 46.2% | +4 |
| Cleveland Indians | 5-7 | 41.7% | -16 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 2-3 | 40% | -5 |
Among qualifying months, the 1981 New York Yankees had their best month in June, when they went 9-2 and had a 81.8% win percentage. Their worst month was September, when they went 13-14 and had a 48.1% win percentage.
| Month | Record | Win Percentage % | Run Differential |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 11-6 | 64.7% | +16 |
| May | 14-14 | 50% | -14 |
| June | 9-2 | 81.8% | +26 |
| August | 11-10 | 52.4% | +30 |
| September | 13-14 | 48.1% | +17 |
| October | 1-2 | 33.3% | +3 |
The New York Yankees finished the regular season with a run differential of +78. Based on their run differential and their pythagorean expectation, the Yankees could have been expected to have about 63.4 wins, or a 63-44 record in the regular season.
In one-run games, or games that went into extra innings, the 1981 New York Yankees went 14-21.
During the regular season, the 1981 New York Yankees went 5-1 in extra inning games.
The longest win streak during the regular season for the 1981 New York Yankees was a 9 game winning streak.
The longest losing streak that the New York Yankees had during the 1981 regular season was 4 games, which occured 3 separate times.
= Playoff Team
Bold = Division Opponent
| Date | Opponent | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | ||||
| Thu, Apr 9, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Win 10 - 3 | ||
| Sat, Apr 11, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Win 5 - 1 | ||
| Sun, Apr 12, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Loss 4 - 6 | ||
| Mon, Apr 13, 1981 | @ Toronto Blue Jays | Loss 1 - 5 | ||
| Wed, Apr 15, 1981 | @ Toronto Blue Jays | Win 6 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Apr 17, 1981 | @ Texas Rangers | Win 2 - 1 | ||
| Sat, Apr 18, 1981 | @ Texas Rangers | Loss 4 - 6 | ||
| Sun, Apr 19, 1981 | @ Texas Rangers | Loss 0 - 4 | ||
| Mon, Apr 20, 1981 | vs Detroit Tigers | Win 6 - 2 | ||
| Tue, Apr 21, 1981 | vs Detroit Tigers | Win 2 - 0 | ||
| Wed, Apr 22, 1981 | vs Detroit Tigers | Win 7 - 2 | ||
| Fri, Apr 24, 1981 | vs Toronto Blue Jays | Win 4 - 2 | ||
| Sat, Apr 25, 1981 | vs Toronto Blue Jays | Loss 2 - 7 | ||
| Sun, Apr 26, 1981 | vs Toronto Blue Jays | Loss 1 - 2 | ||
| Mon, Apr 27, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Win 3 - 1 | ||
| Tue, Apr 28, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Win 4 - 1 | ||
| Wed, Apr 29, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Win 3 - 2 | ||
| Fri, May 1, 1981 | @ Oakland Athletics | Loss 6 - 8 | ||
| Sat, May 2, 1981 | @ Oakland Athletics | Loss 3 - 6 | ||
| Sun, May 3, 1981 | @ Oakland Athletics | Win 3 - 2 | (10) | |
| Sun, May 3, 1981 | @ Oakland Athletics | Win 2 - 0 | ||
| Mon, May 4, 1981 | @ California Angels | Win 4 - 2 | ||
| Tue, May 5, 1981 | @ California Angels | Loss 2 - 6 | ||
| Wed, May 6, 1981 | @ California Angels | Win 5 - 2 | ||
| Thu, May 7, 1981 | @ California Angels | Loss 1 - 2 | ||
| Fri, May 8, 1981 | @ Seattle Mariners | Loss 2 - 3 | ||
| Sat, May 9, 1981 | @ Seattle Mariners | Loss 5 - 6 | ||
| Sun, May 10, 1981 | @ Seattle Mariners | Win 5 - 2 | ||
| Tue, May 12, 1981 | vs Oakland Athletics | Win 4 - 1 | ||
| Wed, May 13, 1981 | vs Oakland Athletics | Loss 4 - 5 | ||
| Thu, May 14, 1981 | vs Oakland Athletics | Win 9 - 5 | ||
| Sat, May 16, 1981 | vs Seattle Mariners | Win 7 - 5 | ||
| Sun, May 17, 1981 | vs Seattle Mariners | Loss 0 - 1 | ||
| Mon, May 18, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Win 2 - 1 | ||
| Tue, May 19, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Win 6 - 5 | ||
| Wed, May 20, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Win 5 - 4 | (11) | |
| Fri, May 22, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Loss 3 - 7 | ||
| Sat, May 23, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Win 3 - 2 | ||
| Sun, May 24, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Loss 5 - 12 | ||
| Mon, May 25, 1981 | @ Baltimore Orioles | Loss 1 - 10 | ||
| Tue, May 26, 1981 | @ Baltimore Orioles | Loss 4 - 6 | ||
| Wed, May 27, 1981 | @ Baltimore Orioles | Loss 5 - 6 | ||
| Fri, May 29, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Win 5 - 2 | ||
| Sat, May 30, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Win 1 - 0 | ||
| Sun, May 31, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Loss 2 - 7 | ||
| Mon, Jun 1, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Win 5 - 3 | ||
| Tue, Jun 2, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Win 5 - 3 | (11) | |
| Wed, Jun 3, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Win 2 - 0 | (11) | |
| Thu, Jun 4, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Win 12 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Jun 5, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Win 6 - 5 | (12) | |
| Sat, Jun 6, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Win 2 - 0 | ||
| Sun, Jun 7, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Win 3 - 1 | ||
| Mon, Jun 8, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Win 8 - 3 | ||
| Tue, Jun 9, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Win 8 - 5 | ||
| Wed, Jun 10, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Loss 5 - 6 | ||
| Thu, Jun 11, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Loss 2 - 3 | ||
| Mon, Aug 10, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Win 2 - 0 | ||
| Tue, Aug 11, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Loss 0 - 1 | ||
| Wed, Aug 12, 1981 | vs Texas Rangers | Win 5 - 4 | ||
| Thu, Aug 13, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Win 3 - 0 | ||
| Fri, Aug 14, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Loss 0 - 1 | ||
| Sat, Aug 15, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Loss 5 - 8 | ||
| Sun, Aug 16, 1981 | @ Detroit Tigers | Loss 4 - 5 | ||
| Mon, Aug 17, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Loss 1 - 4 | ||
| Tue, Aug 18, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Win 4 - 0 | ||
| Wed, Aug 19, 1981 | vs Chicago White Sox | Loss 5 - 6 | ||
| Fri, Aug 21, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Loss 0 - 4 | ||
| Sat, Aug 22, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Win 5 - 0 | ||
| Sun, Aug 23, 1981 | vs Kansas City Royals | Win 8 - 0 | ||
| Mon, Aug 24, 1981 | vs Minnesota Twins | Loss 2 - 3 | (12) | |
| Tue, Aug 25, 1981 | vs Minnesota Twins | Loss 0 - 3 | ||
| Wed, Aug 26, 1981 | vs Minnesota Twins | Win 3 - 2 | ||
| Thu, Aug 27, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Loss 1 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Aug 28, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Win 6 - 1 | ||
| Sat, Aug 29, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Win 12 - 2 | ||
| Sun, Aug 30, 1981 | @ Chicago White Sox | Win 5 - 1 | ||
| Mon, Aug 31, 1981 | @ Minnesota Twins | Win 7 - 0 | ||
| Tue, Sep 1, 1981 | @ Minnesota Twins | Win 11 - 6 | ||
| Wed, Sep 2, 1981 | @ Minnesota Twins | Loss 3 - 4 | ||
| Thu, Sep 3, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Loss 2 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Sep 4, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Win 4 - 0 | ||
| Sat, Sep 5, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Win 2 - 1 | ||
| Sun, Sep 6, 1981 | @ Kansas City Royals | Win 6 - 1 | ||
| Mon, Sep 7, 1981 | vs Milwaukee Brewers | Win 4 - 2 | ||
| Wed, Sep 9, 1981 | vs Milwaukee Brewers | Win 5 - 2 | ||
| Wed, Sep 9, 1981 | vs Milwaukee Brewers | Loss 3 - 5 | ||
| Fri, Sep 11, 1981 | vs Boston Red Sox | Win 4 - 1 | ||
| Sat, Sep 12, 1981 | vs Boston Red Sox | Loss 1 - 2 | ||
| Sun, Sep 13, 1981 | vs Boston Red Sox | Win 10 - 6 | ||
| Mon, Sep 14, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Brewers | Win 10 - 2 | ||
| Tue, Sep 15, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Brewers | Loss 1 - 2 | ||
| Wed, Sep 16, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Brewers | Loss 2 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Sep 18, 1981 | @ Boston Red Sox | Win 6 - 4 | ||
| Sat, Sep 19, 1981 | @ Boston Red Sox | Loss 5 - 8 | ||
| Sun, Sep 20, 1981 | @ Boston Red Sox | Loss 1 - 4 | ||
| Mon, Sep 21, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Loss 0 - 5 | ||
| Tue, Sep 22, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Loss 4 - 6 | ||
| Wed, Sep 23, 1981 | vs Cleveland Indians | Win 6 - 1 | ||
| Thu, Sep 24, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Loss 1 - 5 | ||
| Fri, Sep 25, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Loss 0 - 1 | ||
| Sat, Sep 26, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Win 6 - 4 | ||
| Sun, Sep 27, 1981 | vs Baltimore Orioles | Win 5 - 2 | ||
| Mon, Sep 28, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Loss 2 - 6 | ||
| Tue, Sep 29, 1981 | @ Cleveland Indians | Loss 2 - 3 | ||
| Fri, Oct 2, 1981 | @ Baltimore Orioles | Win 9 - 0 | ||
| Sat, Oct 3, 1981 | @ Baltimore Orioles | Loss 0 - 3 | ||