Being the manager of the New York Yankees is by far the toughest job in all of baseball. You’re constantly being critiqued all season long by the fans and media. Heck, the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner replaced them 20 times in his first 23 seasons as the team owner! While the Yankees have had some success under Aaron Boone, winning the World Series seems to keep eluding them. After all, it has been 14 years since the Yankees last won a championship. The question now is just how hot is Aaron Boone’s seat this season?
The funny thing about Yankee managers is every single season they are always circulating hot seat rumors. This is always the case unless they win a ring. A new season will come around and sure enough, that manager will find their name as someone who could be fired. Currently, it seems like every season Aaron Boone is in these rumors, yet he returns the following season.
The Yankees Under Aaron Boone
Aaron Boone is entering his sixth at the helm of the New York Yankees. Since his arrival in 2018, the Yankees have not missed the playoffs. The Yankees have won two AL East titles, clinched three wild card berths, and won at least 92 or more games. The only time the Yankees didn’t win at least 92 games was during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season. While the Yankees have had regular-season success, they’ve fallen short in the playoffs.
The furthest Aaron Boone has taken the Yankees in the playoffs is the ALCS. He has accomplished this feat twice, losing each time to the Houston Astros. Their most recent appearance in the ALCS was last season where they were embarrassingly swept by Houston 4-0.
Hal Steinbrenner Isn’t His Daddy
Since Hall Steinbrenner took over as the team chairman, the team has only changed managers once. This came after the 2017 season when the Yankees decided not to renew Joe Girardi’s contract to hire Aaron Boone. Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees’ front office values continuity in ways that George never would. Former manager Joe Girardi was allowed an additional five seasons despite not making the playoffs in three of those years.
On one hand, continuity is good because if a team keeps hiring and firing people, a culture will never be established. Otherwise, your team ends up like Jeffrey Loria’s Miami Marlins who never were able to have a direction. On the other hand, it has been 13 years since the Yankees last won the World Series. Fans like me are starving for another ticker tape parade celebrating World Series win number 28. While regular season success is necessary, the real measurement of it comes in the postseason. Under Aaron Boone, the Yankees are consistently coming up short in the moments that matter.
The Season Ahead
This season the Yankees have a team that will most likely win the AL East and make it to the postseason. However, Aaron Boone’s success will be measured by if they can make it out of the ALCS. Every season it’s always World Series or bust and nobody knows that better than Boone. This season is a big one for the Yankees and Aaron Boone, it’s been 13 years since they won it all and the fans are impatient. Boone’s contract currently runs through 2024 with an option for 2025.
If the Yankees were to let Aaron Boone go, this would be the season to do it. Otherwise, he’d be a lame-duck manager in 2024. Hal Steinbrenner has even shown that he gets affected by fan booing. If the fan noise keeps getting louder and the Yankees lose in the playoffs again, Hal Steinbrenner might finally make a change.
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