Ex-Yankee Pushes Back Hard On Criticism Of Aaron Boone

Lance Lynn has a message for anyone calling Aaron Boone too soft and unlike Alex Rodriguez, who took a veiled shot at the Yankees manager and player accountability, Lynn actually has been in Boone's clubhouse.

Lynn said that unless you’ve been inside that clubhouse, you don’t know what you’re talking about.

The now-retired pitcher played for Boone in 2018 after being traded to the Yankees midseason. He’s seen how Boone handles mistakes, pressure, and player accountability, and he’s calling out the narrative that the Yankees manager isn’t doing enough behind the scenes.

“If it needs to be addressed, he is addressing it,” Lynn said Monday on Foul Territory. “Whatever happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse. They know what’s wrong, they know how to fix it, and they’ve addressed it.”

That comment didn’t come in a vacuum. 

The Yankees are sliding fast. Since May 28, when they were 35–20 with a 7.5-game AL East lead, they’ve gone 25–32. They were just swept by the Marlins for the first time in franchise history and have lost 18 of their last 26. Their playoff grip is weakening, and the calls for Boone’s job are growing louder.

But Lynn sees it differently. He’s not excusing the results. Lynn’s reminding people that real accountability doesn’t always happen in front of a microphone.

“He’s not going to talk to the media,” Lynn said. “He’s not going to tell you what’s going on in the clubhouse. Because the more that gets out in New York, the worse it gets.”

Boone echoed that mindset recently after a brutal baserunning mistake from Jazz Chisholm Jr. Boone publicly defended the decision as aggressive, but privately made clear: “He can’t get caught there.”

Lynn’s comments won’t silence the noise. But they do reframe it. Fans may want public fireworks, but the best clubhouses don’t operate that way. Boone’s leadership style may not feed the cameras—but according to someone who’s lived it, that doesn’t mean it’s not working.

Accountability isn’t about volume. It’s about trust and Boone still has it inside the room.