The New York Yankees missed the playoffs in 2023, putting manager Aaron Boone on the hot seat heading into this season. While New York is on track to play in October, that doesn’t necessarily mean Boone’s future with the team is guaranteed.
The Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009 and their last win in the American League Championship Series came in 2019, which they lost in six games. It’s a lengthy drought by New York’s standards, which prompted the Juan Soto trade this past offseason. If the team disappoints this October, bigger moves could be coming.
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Boone’s contract will leave the Yankees front office with a big decision this offseason. While the team kept him around for the 2024 season, it’s the final guaranteed year of his deal. New York holds a 2025 club option on his contract, worth $3-plus million.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that if Boone wants to be the Yankees manager in 2025, the belief is he must win a playoff series. Working in his favor, he has a lot of support inside the organization with general manager Brian Cashman throwing his support behind Boone in July.
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“He’s very well-connected with these guys. He’s charged every day with pushing the right buttons the best he can with what he’s got. I think he’s navigating that as well as he possibly can.”
New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman on manager Aaron Boone in July (via New York Post)
Entering MLB games today, New York sits second in the MLB standings with the best record in the American League. If everything held up, the Yankees would have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs and a first-round bye.
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That means New York would face the winner of the projected AL Wild Card matchup between the Baltimore Orioles vs Kansas City Royals. Losing to either club, with both having a payroll more than $100 million less than the Yankees are spending, could doom Boone’s fate in New York.
However, it seems the Yankees front office would sell the team making it to the American League Championship Series as a positive outcome. New York made the ALCS in 2022 but didn’t win a single game and it would be their second ALCS appearance (2019) under Boone. So, as long as Boone ends the Yankees’ playoff drought and gets them to the ALCS, he should be safe for the 2025 season.
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