Yankees' Brian Cashman: Aaron Boone was safe before elimination win over Guardians

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman insisted that manager Aaron Boone didn't need to worry about his job ahead of Tuesday's playoff-elimination home game against the Cleveland Guardians that the Bronx Bombers won 5-1. 

"Not for me," Cashman responded to the notion that Boone may have been on the hot seat before Game 5 of the American League Division Series, per Ian O'Connor of the New York Post. "In New York it’s either you’re really good and smart, or really bad and stupid. And it just seems like they’re the only two lanes people want to drive on, and the truth is not the extreme one way or another. … He’s really good at what he does." 

Boone put pen to paper on a three-year contract that includes a club option for 2025 last October but only after others on his coaching staff were shown the door. While the 49-year-old holds a regular-season record of 427-281 over his five campaigns in charge of the Yankees, he has yet to guide the club to a World Series berth. 

"No team official would ever admit it for public consumption, but I think Boone could’ve very easily been fired if an opponent with no business winning this division series had toppled his," O'Connor explained about doubts regarding Boone's future. "Cleveland had spent roughly $180 million less on payroll than the Yankees did, and hit exactly half the number of home runs (254-127)." 

Cashman now doesn't have to think about the topic ahead of the AL Championship Series versus the Houston Astros that opens in Houston on Wednesday night. 

"[Boone] is a strong human being," the executive added about his current skipper. "And you’ve got to be a strong human being to be the manager of the New York Yankees."