The New York Yankees signed manager Aaron Boone to a two-year contract extension, ensuring that he will continue running the team through the 2027 season.
Boone was hired to replace Joe Girardi after the 2018 season, making him the 33rd manager in Yankees history. He led the team to the playoffs in six of his seven seasons while tallying 603 career wins, seventh-most among all managers in team history. His career win percentage (.599) is second-best among active managers and 10th-best all time.
Despite the statistical successes, Boone’s tenure hasn’t been entirely perfect. The former major leaguer was responsible for an 82-80 record in 2023, the club’s worst season in 30 years. A managerial change was expected, but the support of captain Aaron Judge helped Boone keep his job. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner frequently checks in with Judge to gauge what the clubhouse is thinking, according to The Athletic.
Yankees fans are already unhappy with Aaron Boone’s decisions
The Yankees will open their Spring Training exhibition games against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, and Boone’s decision-making has already come under scrutiny. Even though several Yankees starters are expected to play, Boone told reporters on Thursday that Judge and catcher Austin Wells won’t make their spring training debut until March 1.
“[Judge] played 150, 160 games last year,” Boone said, via Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch. “I don’t want to rush him.”
Both players participated in at-bats in training camp and neither is dealing with any injury. Instead, Boone’s goal is to provide them with rest after a long postseason run and a shortened offseason. Judge played 158 regular-season games and 14 postseason games last season, when the Yankees won the American League pennant for the first time since 2009. Judge’s 172 games surpassed his previous career-high mark of 168 games, which he set during the 2017 season. Wells played 129 total games in 2024, which was his second season in the majors.
Playing it safe isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The Yankees are already dealing with injury concerns, as designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is at risk of missing Opening Day due to elbow soreness. At this stage, any decision Boone makes will be heavily scrutinized until he can lead the club to a championship.
Despite all of the additional work, the Bronx Bombers came up empty-handed. The Yankees were thoroughly outclassed in the 2024 World Series by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman was named the World Series MVP, despite his facial hair.