Aaron Boone said he has not been told he is coming back next season, as the Yankees head into the offseason without a postseason appearance for the first time since 2016.
Boone is under contract through next season and the Yankees haven’t fired a manager in the middle of a deal since Stump Merrill was fired following the 1991 season during George Steinbrenner’s suspension and replaced by Buck Showalter.
Asked about his own job performance the day after the Yankees were officially eliminated from playoff contention, Boone said Monday: “I think that will be part of the conversations we have organizationally. I’ll step back and evaluate where I want to keep pushing forward on certain things and where you want to make adjustments. Hopefully, those align with us being in a better place.
“And whether we won 100 games and were going to the playoffs, that reflection and evaluation doesn’t really change. You’re always trying to get better … All I can do is the best I can do.”
Hal Steinbrenner has promised an intense look at the organization during the offseason and everyone will be under scrutiny.
Boone reiterated that he isn’t worried about his future in the job because “it’s out of my hands.”
“I don’t worry about it,’’ the manager said. “I’m completely comfortable with who I am and the things I can control. My job, in my mind, is doing everything to head into the offseason to prepare to put us in a better position to try and compete for a championship. That’s what the goal is and until they take that away, that’s my focus.’’
He acknowledged there was a different feeling at the Stadium as Boone prepared to manage a game for the first time Monday in which the Yankees were out of playoff contention.
“The reality of it hits [Sunday] when you hear and know you’re eliminated, even though you realize the last couple weeks we were up against it and [it would have taken] a little bit of a miracle [to make it] … The reality of being knocked out is sobering.”
Boone guided the Yankees to 100-win seasons in his first two seasons, getting to the ALCS in 2019.
They fell in the ALDS in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and were knocked out in the wild card round after a 92-win season in 2021.
The team rebounded by winning 99 games, as well as the AL East, a year ago before getting swept by the Astros in the ALCS.
This year, they are looking to avoid finishing in last place for the first time since 1990.
“We’re playing big-league games all week against teams that are still fighting for something,’’ Boone said of Monday’s game against Arizona, as well as the upcoming series in Toronto. “We want to play well and put our best foot forward.”
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