Sept. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Derek Jeter will have an early start to the offseason for the first time in his 14-year career with the New York Yankees.

The Yankees, who have won a record 26 World Series titles, were eliminated from postseason contention last night when Boston beat Cleveland to clinch a playoff berth.

New York made 13 straight playoff appearances and won four World Series titles from 1995-2007, a run of success that started the year Jeter broke into Major League Baseball. The Yankees have an 86-71 record with five games left this season.

``We weren't good enough,'' said Jeter, the Yankees' captain and starting shortstop. ``Our team didn't play well enough all season to get where we wanted to be. It's a huge disappointment.''

The Yankees went 50-45 during the first half of the season, hurt by injuries, poor starting pitching and an inconsistent offense. Although they have a 36-26 record since the All-Star break and are on a six-game winning streak, they've been unable to make up ground on Tampa Bay and Boston in the American League Eastern Division.

While the Yankees weren't mathematically eliminated until yesterday, pitcher Mike Mussina said the team has known for several weeks that there would be no October playoff games.

``It's been a tough summer,'' Mussina, 39, told reporters after picking up his 19th win of the season last night in a 3-1 victory in Toronto. ``We expected more out of ourselves.''

The Yankees three days ago played their final game at 85- year-old Yankee Stadium, which is being replaced next year by a new $1.3 billion ballpark.

The team plays two more games in Toronto before finishing the regular season with a three-game set at Boston's Fenway Park against the defending World Series champions.

``It's not how we wanted the season to end,'' said Yankees first-year manager Joe Girardi. ``It's unfortunate those games in Boston aren't going to mean something.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 24, 2008 00:20 EDT