Regardless of the outcome in the ALDS, Aaron Boone has saved his job as New York Yankees manager.
New York Yankees fans have certainly said a whole lot about Aaron Boone in recent years, and let's be honest: most of it isn't good.
And yes, a lot of the criticism has been warranted.
There is no question that Boone has made a ton of head-scratching decisions since he arrived as Yankees manager all the way back in 2018, and he continues to do so today.
But what manager in baseball doesn't do so?
Maybe Boone is more frustrating than many others, but let's be honest: given the hand he was dealt this season, with rampant injuries up and down the roster, he has actually done a pretty solid job, and regardless of what New York does against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Division Series, Boone has already saved his job for 2027.
That comes much to the chagrin of many Yankees fans, who would surely be calling for Boone's head if New York gets eliminated from the ALDS again. And perhaps deservedly so.
But this isn't really about what the Yankees should do; it's about what they will do, and it seems blatantly obvious that Boone will be back as Yankees skipper next spring.
Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman both love Boone, and there has been absolutely zero indication that his job was ever really on the line at any point in 2026. And really, how could it have been?
Think of what Boone had to deal with this year. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have missed most of the campaign. Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon all missed significant chunks of time. Cody Bellinger was out for a while.
Yet, somehow, some way, he led the Yankees to 93 wins and an easy playoff berth ... plus a sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series.
We can all agree that Boone isn't some mastermind, but he made the most of what was handed to him this season.
Many will accuse Boone of being a yes man, which is why the front office is so insistent on keeping him. He doesn't ruffle feathers like Joe Torre or Joe Girardi. He is sometimes too diplomatic with his struggling players.
Those are all reasons why Yankees fans would prefer a different man to be leading their ballclub, but by this point, we all understand that Steinbrenner and Cashman do not operate based on fan desires.
New York could get swept by the Rays in the ALDS, and it wouldn't change anything. Barring an extreme turn of events, Boone will be returning as Yankees manager next season, for better or for worse.
And who knows? Maybe Boone will actually guide New York to a shocking World Series championship this October ... even with all of the adversity the ballclub is still facing.
