Yankees' lost season likely won't cost Aaron Boone his job
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on from the dugout before an MLB baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
BOSTON — It was a pretty busy New York sports day on Tuesday, what with the devastating Aaron Rodgers injury news and the Mets hiring David Stearns to be their new top baseball executive.
So if you missed a couple of nice Yankees stories going on in the late innings of the second game of a mostly meaningless day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park, that’s to be understood.
Two Yankees you may have never heard of had moments they will remember for the rest of their lives.
This is what it’s come to for the Yankees: They are creating memories for fringe major leaguers and trying not to finish in last place in the AL East.
But there were smiles all around in the cramped visiting clubhouse after the Yankees completed a doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox, with the Game 2 victory counting as Aaron Boone’s 500th as Yankees manager.
Boone, who goes into Wednesday with a 500-353 regular-season record, was much less impressed with his personal milestone than by the outings of two pitchers he was only slightly acquainted with going into the long day and night.
Zach McAllister, a 35-year-old righthander, made his first major-league appearance since 2018. Matt Bowman, a 32-year-old righthander, made his first major-league appearance since 2019.
And this wasn’t mop-up duty in a blowout in an empty ballpark.
With the Yankees’ regular high-leverage relievers having all pitched in a 3-2 victory in Game 1, McAllister and Bowman held a tenuous one-run lead for an inning apiece in a packed and surprisingly into-it Fenway Park.
Even though the historic rivals aren’t playing for the division crown, and are instead locked in a sad race to not finish last, derogatory chants about the Yankees and the “Sweet Caroline” eighth-inning sing-a-long had the usual fervor of a classic, meaningful Yankees-Red Sox matchup.
Buoyed by an unlikely bullpen quartet (in order of appearance starting in the sixth inning) of McAllister, Anthony Misiewicz, Bowman and Nick Ramirez (first career save), the Yankees secured a 4-1 victory.
At 73-72 going into Wednesday, the Yankees are tied with the Red Sox for fourth — and last — places.
The status of Boone is one of the unanswered questions heading into next season. But there is a growing sense around the ballclub that Boone will return in 2024, the final guaranteed year of his contract.
General manager Brian Cashman, who did not return a request for comment on Boone’s status, has already called this season “a disaster” and vowed a top-to-bottom review of all things Yankees.
In his last public statement about Boone on Aug. 23, Cashman said: “Boonie’s doing everything he can possibly do, just like all of us.”
The way the club is playing lately — three wins in a row and 11 of 15 going into Wednesday — may quiet any notion that Boone has “lost the room,” which is a familiar reason teams give for firing managers.
Aaron Judge threw his 282 pounds behind Boone last week, telling SNY that he wants the manager to return. That is likely to have some sway with Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner.
Is Boone a good manager? Yes. The won-loss record speaks for itself. Is he a great manager? No. The lack of a World Series trip in his six seasons also speaks for itself.
One thing is certain: Boone is a players’ manager. They love him and he loves them. The most recent example came on Tuesday.
When Boone was asked about his 500th victory, he verbally shrugged by saying: “I wish it would have come about a month ago . . . Cool number.”
When he was asked about the inspirational, affirming moments for McAllister and Bowman, though, Boone’s eyes lit up.
Even after 14 hours at the ballpark, at the end of a “disaster” of a season, Boone was genuinely excited for two guys he probably couldn’t have picked out of a lineup a week ago.
“I think guys were juiced,” he said. “You’re here all day. It’s a long day at Fenway. Kind of muggy and humid and drizzly and satisfying when you can grab two [wins].”
Two of 73. Not good enough. But probably not bad enough for someone other than Boone to be in the manager’s office next season.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
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