Yankees Ripped For Keeping Aaron Boone Over 3-Time Manager Of The Year
The New York Yankees have had very public struggles recently, and seemingly everyone is weighing in on Aaron Boone's job status as a result.
Boone has seen plenty of ups and downs in his eight years at the helm of the Yankees, and ultimately, the fact that the team hasn't won it all opens him up to criticism whenever things are going south. He's also a staunch defender of his players in any situation, which draws the ire of some purists.
But while most of the conversation has centered on whether the Yankees should keep Boone beyond this season, one well-known baseball analyst is taking them to task for retaining him as long as they already have.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 02: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on during batting practice prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 02, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 02: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on during batting practice prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 02, 2025 in Miami, Florida.During a recent episode of "The Show" on New York Post Sports, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo ripped the Yankees for not hiring Terry Francona in the offseason. Francona came out of a one-year retirement to manage the Cincinnati Reds after a long, fruitful career with the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Guardians.
"These are the New York Yankees. ... I know they didn't want to hire (Bruce) Bochy because then they have to listen to front office and all that nonsense. Francona gets a job again. You are telling me Boone is a better manager than Terry Francona? Are you freaking crazy?" Russo ranted.
"How did Francona end up with the Reds? Did the Yankees put a call in to Francona? 'Hey Terry, we had a bad World Series. Our manager killed us in Game 1.' He killed them in Game 1, guys. And Francona ends up in Cincinnati? Listen, everybody loves Boone. He's not a bad manager, but he has been there a long time (without a) World Series win. In my opinion, there are seven managers in the sport better than Boone. And yet, here he is."
Francona is the three-time American League Manager of the Year, and he oversaw two World Series wins with the Red Sox, including the 2004 run that included a 3-0 comeback in the American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
The general reaction when Francona returned was one of surprise, but the Yankees had also just been to the World Series for the first time under Boone when the 66-year-old was hired. New York was much more focused on trying to retain the services of Juan Soto than it was on luring a Boone replacement out of retirement.
Francona's Reds are 62-58, 1 1/2 games worse than the Yankees. Both teams are fighting for a wild-card spot, so they have little time to dwell on what could have been in the winter.
More MLB: Red Sox's Roman Anthony Matches Ted Williams' 86-Year-Old Franchise Record
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