ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The New York Yankees spent most of the 2025 season chasing the AL champion Blue Jays. From a summer sweep to a postseason gut punch, Toronto became the measuring stick the Yankees couldn’t clear.

Aaron Boone was asked how his club closes that gap going into 2026.

“Playing better against them is the real simple answer,” the New York manager said Monday at baseball’s winter meetings. “They kicked our butt. … That ended up really hurting us.”

Still, Boone pointed out the Yankees had the same regular-season record as their AL East rivals, 94-68.

“I mean, we ended with identical records last year. I don’t want to discount that they kicked our (rear ends) last year — don’t take it out of context. I would say the gap is small,” Boone said. “We had the exact same record. But they obviously were a great team last year, an eyelash away from winning the world championship.”

The Blue Jays won the AL East title on a head-to-head tiebreaker over New York. They beat the Yankees 3-1 in their best-of-five Division Series and went on to win the American League pennant before losing the decisive Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in extra innings.

“They certainly proved to be the better team this year, and hopefully we can close that gap and pass them and others this year,” Boone said.

To do that, the Yankees need to address holes in their lineup this winter. While general manager Brian Cashman has said re-signing Cody Bellinger is a priority, Boone said he has not been recruiting the versatile former NL MVP.

“I usually don’t recruit as much with guys that we’ve had. They know who we are. They know what we’re about,” Boone said. “Certainly if there comes a point where — and this isn’t just for Cody, this is with anyone — when it gets to a point where we’re starting to get down the road or be in conversations, I’ll certainly have those conversations with guys where I see it fit.”

Boone also reacted to recent comments by former Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, who said after being traded last month from St. Louis to Boston that he never wanted to pitch for the Yankees in the first place years ago and he was glad to now be with the rival Red Sox on a team where it’s easy to hate the Bronx Bombers.

Gray struggled in New York after he was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in a 2017 trade. Boone admitted, at the time, he knew the Bronx wasn’t the “best” place for Gray.

“He’s in Boston now. He’s not supposed to like us anyway,” Boone said. “That being said, I’ve always really liked Sonny, gotten along well with him. If he’ll spice up the rivalry a little, there’s nothing wrong with that.

“But I was a little surprised how deep he went.”

Boone knows the target is always on the Yankees from Boston, Toronto and around the AL East. That’s what he’ll remind his players when 2026 spring training begins.

“You’ve got to play well, especially in our division, if you’re going to have a chance to win the division and do something great,” he said.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb