"It's right in front of us. It's right here, and we can fix it."
A fiery Aaron Boone voices his thoughts on the Yankees' expectations down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/uzv7GgKijk
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 20, 2022
This is not a manager trying to light a fire under his team through the media. The time for Aaron Boone to do that passed a while ago. Like in St. Louis.
No, this performative outburst after yet another disgraceful effort — Blue Jays 5, Yankees 2 on Saturday; three straight losses, six of seven, nine of 11, 15 of 19 — was frustration boiling over. And an admission. Boone clearly has no answers at this point. Which is a dangerous spot for him.
We would be surprised if the Yankees’ tailspin were to cost Boone his job in-season. They are all-in on him. He signed a new deal less than a year ago. He has done everything right (albeit with one glaring exception). And there is no obvious better option in the dugout or the farm system.
That said, we wouldn’t be stunned if Boone is fired soon. How could you be?
This team has been awful. Not bad, not lackluster. Awful. A 15.5-game division lead and a march to immortality has given way to a freefall toward unfathomable catastrophe. They are flirting with a collapse that would make the 2004 ALCS look like a spring training game. And the brutal reality that has to chasten owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman while terrifying Boone: There is really nothing left to do at this time and in this place.
The trade deadline is long gone. Frankie Montas has been a bust. Same with Andrew Benintendi (will he be in Toronto come late September? Because those games will count). The bullpen is a mess, with or without an effective Clay Holmes. Harrison Bader, Matt Carpenter and Giancarlo Stanton will help if and when they are back. But will they save the offense? And will everyone else stay healthy as well?
Which brings us back to Boone. Because when there are no more on-field moves to make, you have two choices. You ride it out and hope things get straightened out in time for October. Or you fire the manager and try to catch lightning in a bottle with a new voice. Again, we don’t think the Yankees will fire Boone. Now or after the season, for that matter. But we could see it happening. Because when the manager has no answers, he runs the risk of someone deciding he is in fact the answer.
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James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com
