Yankees stars offer staunch support for Aaron Boone despite ALDS flop

A previous report insisted that New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has already decided to retain Yankees senior vice president/general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone for at least the 2027 MLB season. 

However, that didn't stop frustrated Yankees fans from chanting for Steinbrenner to fire Boone after the Tampa Bay Rays earned a 4-3 win in the Bronx and completed a three-game sweep of New York in the American League Division Series on Wednesday night. 

Following that defeat, Yankees slugger and team captain Aaron Judge sent a message to Steinbrenner and Cashman about Boone's future. 

Aaron Judge voices strong support for Aaron Boone

"He’s our manager," Judge said of Boone, per Phillip Martinez of SNY. "He’s running this ship. Especially a season like this. I’m banged up, missing 100 games. ...For him to manage it the way he did and put us in the best position in the playoffs and give us an opportunity to win a World Series. He’s definitely had our back and is our guy."

Judge seemingly has nothing to worry about regarding Boone's status. According to Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports, Cashman said ahead of Wednesday's game that he thinks "Boone's a really good manager" and was a big reason the Yankees advanced to the ALDS. In late August, Ian O'Connor of The Athletic revealed that Cashman "is expected to sign yet another deal" with the Yankees. Cashman's contract expires at the end of the season, while Boone is signed through the 2027 campaign. 

"Boony is a great guy to play for," Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger said. "I've played for four really good managers, in my opinion, and my transition over here was smooth. It's all about winning here. When you put on this logo, it's all about winning, and we understand that. We understand what comes with the logo, what comes with the history, and he helps present that."

One reason Yankees likely won't move on from Aaron Boone

Barring what would be a shocking development, a lockout will begin once the collective bargaining agreement between team owners and the MLB Players Association expires on Dec. 1. SNY's Anthony McCarron is among those who think uncertainty related to the labor negotiations is one reason Steinbrenner will stick with Boone.

"If labor leaves teams idle while the lawyers negotiate," McCarron explained, "that means the offseason could be shortened. Managers can’t manage during the lockout, and a new guy couldn’t get to know his new players and how he should handle so many varied personalities. Can the expensive Yankees, presumably built to contend, really cram a new manager into a truncated winter as they try to get over their 17-year championship drought?"

Some blamed Boone for avoidable mistakes Yankees players made during the 2024 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since then, the Yankees have failed to advance past the ALDS round of a postseason tournament. Nevertheless, ace Cam Schlittler is among the Yankees players who strongly backed Boone. 

"I think Boonie's been amazing," Schlittler added. "I know every guy in this locker room stands behind him. I don't see a reason why that needs to change. He's someone that is going to put his players first, and I think that's very important. He's been great to this team and to the guys in here, and we trust him. There's not a single day where I haven't trusted him or a decision he's made. I have a great relationship with him. I'll back him up. I hope that I'm playing here for a long time and he's still the manager. So he might take the blame for the way we perform, but at the end of the day, it comes down to us, and the expectation needs to be a little bit better."