Bret Boone blasts critics of brother, Yankees manager Aaron Boone

Former MLB All-Star and current podcast host Bret Boone thinks those who believe younger brother Aaron Boone has waived the white flag on the 2023 season know very little about the New York Yankees manager.

"I was reading an article, 'Aaron Boone has given up,' on social media, and I laugh at these keyboard warriors that have no clue what Aaron Boone is made of," Bret Boone said during an appearance on the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast, per Logan Mullen of Audacy. "Aaron Boone is one of the biggest fighters I’ve ever seen, he’s one of the most passionate kids I’ve ever been around. If you give him a 1% chance, man he’s going to fight to the death for that 1%." 

It was reported on the morning of Aug. 9 that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner could part ways with Aaron Boone if the Bronx Bombers finish the regular season in last place in the American League East standings. 

Heading into Tuesday's home series opener against the Washington Nationals, the last-place Yankees were nine-and-a-half games back in the battle for a wild-card playoff spot and also losers of eight straight contests. 

For a piece published Monday evening, Dan Martin of the New York Post noted that sources "indicated that a close look at the entire (Yankees) organization will be conducted after the season, with jobs potentially in peril." 

Bret Boone said during the podcast chat that he knows from experience that players blaming a manager for losses "doesn’t happen." He also echoed retired Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Curt Schilling by suggesting the Yankees would ultimately regret firing Aaron Boone if they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 50-year-old accepted the job after the 2017 season.

"If you’re an honest evaluator, if you’re a man of the game and you know the game, and you blame this year on Aaron Boone, you can’t really have a conversation with me, because you’re at a different level," Bret Boone said. 

Whether or not Aaron Boone should be blamed for the Yankees' collapse this summer may not matter as it pertains to his job if the club responsible for baseball's second-highest payroll finishes below .500. 

Even if Steinbrenner retains senior vice president and general manager Brian Cashman, as expected, those two may feel the clubhouse needs a new voice at skipper following a campaign everyone involved would likely prefer to forget.