Late last week, the Yankees exercised their 2025 club option for manager Aaron Boone, bringing their skipper back for his eighth season in pinstripes.
Boone spoke with reporters on Monday morning, saying he hadn’t really put much thought into whether or not he’d be back, but that he’s happy to have another chance to lead this Yankees group.
“I don’t know, there’s just so much going on during the season that it wasn’t really my — it wasn’t something that we were talking about,” Boone said. “I knew it was something for after the season was over, so I didn’t really have necessarily any expectations, especially when you get to the playoffs and you’re grinding through that every day. That’s where the focus went.
“So, I’m excited to be back, and we’ll see if there’s any more dialogue that goes on, as far as you asked about an extension. We’ll see in that regard, but regardless I’m excited to be back and excited to get to lead this group again.”
The topic of a possible extension came up multiple times during Boone’s availability with the media, and Boone said there have been no extension talks with the front office, to this point.
“No, we’re not [having extension discussions],” Boone said. “But I think that said, there’s a lot going on after the season with just, throughout the organization, contracts being up and there’s a lot of work to do that you don’t necessarily get to attend to when you’re going through the playoffs and the World Series. So, I know there’s a lot of loose ends to tie up organizationally. So, we’ll see what unfolds, but either way, I’m prepared and ready to go and excited for 2025.”
Boone was also asked if he’s okay with managing in 2025 without a long-term contract in place.
“Yeah, I mean, here I am,” he said. “The reality is there’s tons of people going to work every single day with that existence, where it’s year-to-year. We just had a season where I had that realization this year, that reality this year. We were able to overall put together a strong season and get to the World Series, but the reality is this is the existence a lot of people, not only in baseball, but in life in general, have. I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to be with this organization. I’m excited to work for the people that I get to work under and with, and especially this player group, that so many of them I’ve developed a really strong tie to.”
Boone has a career .584 winning percentage as the Yankees’ manager, and the club has made the playoffs in six of his seven seasons at the helm.
But under Boone’s leadership, the Yankees have not achieved their ultimate goal of winning the World Series, though the club appeared in their first Fall Classic with Boone this past season, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Looking back at the season overall, Boone said that losing in the World Series will stick with him forever, but he’s also proud of a lot of the things the Yankees were able to accomplish in 2024.
“These are things that sting, and that wound is still there, when you get close to the top of the mountain,” he said. “But you always have perspective of the amount of good things that went on this year. Being able to win the division and get back to the playoffs after a really challenging ’23, getting to play in the World Series, but not reaching that ultimate goal when you get close, there’s pain that goes with that.
“I’m proud of so many people and so many players and what they were able to accomplish this year.”
Yankees will make coaching staff changes
Boone was not ready to go into specifics, but he did say the club will make at least one and possibly two changes to his staff.
“We’ll have one for sure, so we’ll see,” Boone said. “I would say largely intact is my expectation, but there could be one or two that end up changing.”
