Report: Yankees Manager Aaron Boone Expected to Return in 2025
Despite losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games during the World Series, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is expected to return for an eighth season with the franchise in 2025.
A day removed from watching the Dodgers celebrate on their home field, the Yankees have already begun planning for next season with Boone at the helm, according to SNY’s Andy Martino. The 51-year-old skipper just concluded the final guaranteed season of his three-year contract signed prior to the 2022 campaign.
Boone’s deal includes a club option for ‘25, which New York reportedly plans to exercise, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported before Game 5 of the World Series.
The Yankees may also attempt to avoid a lame-duck situation with Boone, as Martino noted both sides will likely begin contract negotiations this off-season. Any previous discussions were believed to be tabled until after the World Series.
New York chose not to extend Boone after exercising his club option in 2021, letting him manage on the final year of his original contract that he signed after being named skipper ahead of the ‘18 season. They re-upped him on a three-year deal with a fourth-year club option shortly after losing to the Boston Red Sox in the ‘21 AL Wild Card series.
The franchise has made the playoffs in six of the previous seven seasons under Boone, including this year, only missing the postseason in 2023 after finishing two games above .500 at 82-80.
This season, the former 12-year MLB veteran – who spent one season as a player with the Yankees in 2003 – led his club to their first World Series berth since ‘09, finishing with the best record (94-68) in the AL. They also captured their third AL East Division title during his seven-year tenure.
It wasn’t guaranteed that Boone would return next season, considering much of Yankees nation had been displeased with the club’s lack of postseason success prior to 2024, given they hadn’t won an AL pennant in almost two decades.
Many fans also criticized some of the decisions made by New York’s manager this postseason, particularly his call to have Nestor Cortes – who hadn’t pitched since September 19th due to an elbow strain – face Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded in the 10th inning of Game 1.
That move, of course, backfired immediately for Boone, as Freeman delivered a walk-off grand slam on the first pitch of the at-bat. Afterwards, the Yankees skipper said he regretted pulling Luke Weaver, who had already thrown 1.2 innings, before the 10th.
Now begins a pivotal off-season for New York, with seven notable players set to become free agents, including outfielder Juan Soto. Gerrit Cole can also hit the open market if he exercises the opt-out in his nine-year, $324-million contract.
Additionally, the Yankees hold club options on first baseman Anthony Rizzo ($17 million) and relievers Lou Trivino ($5 million) and Weaver ($2.5 million).
As currently constructed, the organization’s Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payroll for next season sits at approximately $241.8 million per FanGraphs’ Roster Resource, already positioned a touch above the first luxury tax bracket of $241 million.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
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