The New York Yankees earned a much-needed win against the rebuilding Minnesota Twins on Monday, but it might not be enough to prevent a drastic change.
Even after that win, the Yankees are in significant danger of missing the playoffs despite an aggressive offseason, several blockbuster trade deadline additions and one of the highest payrolls in Major League Baseball. As a result, the team could finally be ready to part ways with manager Aaron Boone in search of a needed solution.
“Just one year after winning the American League and making it to the World Series, the Yankees are playing a brand of baseball fans barely recognize,” Joseph Kallan wrote for FanSided. “Whether it’s Boone’s inconsistent lineups, questionable pitching decisions or lack of accountability, fans have seen and heard enough.”
Kallan listed Boone as a member of the Yankees who will be off the team by September 1, predicting that general manager Brian Cashman will “put his foot down and end the chaos” by relieving him. However, a midseason shakeup like that could intensify the chaos, at least in the short term.
It’s exceedingly rare for a team still within a playoff hunt to fire its manager and the Yankees signed Boone to a two-year extension shortly after he reached the World Series last year. However, it’s hard to argue that Cashman hasn’t surrounded Boone with the type of talent that should be playing better.
“No matter the midseason changes — or even offseason ones — Boone always seems to find creative ways to make matters worse,” Kallan added. “The Yankees simply won’t succeed as long as Boone is around, and deep down, Brian Cashman knows it’s true.”
If Cashman has really reached that conclusion and can convince principal owner Hal Steinbrenner of the same, Boone could be out of a job within the next few weeks