Hal Steinbrenner discusses Yankees' ugly World Series loss to Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly felt before they needed just five games to beat the New York Yankees in this year's World Series that the Bronx Bombers "were talent over fundamentals" and were poor in aspects such as baserunning and fielding. 

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner defended his team as some fans continue to blame manager Aaron Boone for all that went wrong during the Fall Classic. 

"Listen, we did not play a clean World Series," Steinbrenner acknowledged, as shared by Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "I think we all know that. But those fundamentals got us to the World Series. I mean our play, for the most part, was solid during the course of the year. That’s why we won a pennant for the first time in 15 years. No doubt in the World Series, they just played better than us."

Yankees players committing multiple avoidable mistakes in Game 5 of the World Series, coupled with Boone going to a rusty Nestor Cortes in Game 1, resulted in pockets of fans calling for Steinbrenner and Yankees senior vice president/general manager Brian Cashman to make a change. Cashman instead exercised Boone’s 2025 contractual option, and Steinbrenner suggested on Wednesday his skipper could receive an extension before spring training. 

"I don’t know if there’s a huge rush to it, but I will have those discussions on what to do next," Steinbrenner said about possibly adding years to Boone’s deal, per Brendan Kuty and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. 

Steinbrenner seems to understand he could lose All-Star outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets before Christmas. For an article published Thursday morning, Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media said that he feels Steinbrenner and Cashman are already "preparing for Soto’s defection into the Mets' loving embrace" and preparing to sign "Plan B newcomers." 

Meanwhile, Steinbrenner admitted on Wednesday that the loss to the Dodgers "still stings" nearly one month after the World Series finished. 

"It’s interesting when you’re that close and you don’t get there," Steinbrenner added. "It stays with you for a while. All of us feel the same way. We’re just going to have to get right back at it in March and get there again and get the job done next year."

Whether or not Soto will be part of the Yankees' pursuit of their first World Series championship since the fall of 2009 shall be seen.