Why the New York Yankees could bring Aaron Boone back in 2023

Get ready, New York Yankees fans. According to reports, Aaron Boone could well be coming back to the dugout for the 2023 season.

No matter how poorly the season may have ended for the New York Yankees, reports from SNY’s Andy Martino say that Yankees executives believe Boone is the “right man” to lead the Bronx Bombers as the team looks to rebound from a four-game sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros in the ALCS. While not much went right for the Yankees against the Astros, that has done little to dissuade the thought that Boone could return.

Yes, New York Yankees fans, Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman could return in 2023

While Cashman’s contract is up as general manager, Martino believes he will be asked back by Steinbrenner. This would start a domino effect where Boone is secured for next season as well.

So why would the Yankees bring back Boone? Well, according to those same reports, it’s because Boone can help shield the players from the “relentless negativity” being hurled toward the franchise after a 99-win season that sputtered in the second half and ended with one of the poorest postseason showings in a series in recent memory.

Can Boone’s positive nature and clubhouse relationships possibly be enough to overcome some of the questions about his lineup decisions and game management? It appears so.

Of course, much can change between now and the beginning of the season, but signs are pointing toward the Yankees focusing their efforts on changing the roster rather than the dugout or the front office. Boone is still under contract until the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025, so the framework is in place for continuity at the manager position.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner also knows that Boone reportedly has a close relationship with Aaron Judge, and that could be a key factor as Judge prepares to test the waters of free agency.

So how likely is the Cashman-Boone reunion to happening? According to Martino, “The only way it seems that this could go sideways for either of them is if fan vitriol becomes so toxic that Steinbrenner decides he must initiate a GM change that no one believes he wants to make.”

However, even that may be overridden if Steinbrenner, Cashman, and Boone can get on the same page about what will happen this offseason and how the Yankees can not only keep Judge, but also boost a roster that will likely see some overhauling this offseason. If there is confidence internally about a plan moving forward, all of the external noise could well be ignored, laying the groundwork for a very familiar leadership look in the Bronx in 2023.