Aaron Boone Isn’t Perfect but He’s Still the Right Manager for the Yankees

Aaron Boone didn’t ace the first half, but he didn’t flunk it either.

The New York Yankees went into the All-Star break at 53–43, still in the playoff mix, but no longer in control of the American League East. That’s not where they expected to be. And Boone hasn’t been perfect. His bullpen choices have been questioned. So has his lineup construction. The defensive lapses haven’t helped.

But let’s be honest: Boone has had his hands tied for a lot of the season.

His bullpen has been hit by injuries (Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr.), inconsistency (Jonathan Loaisiga, Luke Weaver), and early struggles from Devin Williams, who was supposed to be the closer. Boone’s made do with whatever arms are upright on a given night. He’s adjusted roles. He’s kept the group from spiraling.

He’s protected his players, which is a huge factor in his popularity in the clubhouse.

For example, Boone got hammered when he pulled Clarke Schmidt from a no-hit bid in June after 103 pitches. Fans didn’t like it. But a week later, Schmidt was shut down with forearm tightness and eventually diagnosed with a torn UCL. He’s out for the year.

He’s also helped integrate rookies like Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice without drama, something managers don’t get nearly enough credit for.

So Boone gets a solid B. He's not a perfect manager, but he he’s kept the clubhouse together. He’s made tough decisions. He’s been the adult in the room.

And, let's be honest, whatever grade I or the fans give him, doesn’t matter anyway.

What does? That the front office still trusts him. That Hal Steinbrenner hasn’t blinked. And that Aaron Judge, the real heartbeat of this team, still believes in his manager.

For now, that’s enough.