Aaron Boone in the dugout at this week at Target Field in Minnesota as he guides his team to a successful 2026 season, perhaps his best as Yankees manager. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees have clinched a spot in the playoffs for the ninth time in the past 10 years. Eight of the nine occurred during Aaron Boone’s tenure as manager. Whether they can still win the American League East, unseat the first-place Rays or ultimately win the World Series is still up for grabs.
But at 88-65, it’s not too early to say this is the best job Boone has done during his tenure.
“It’s impressive,” right-fielder and captain Aaron Judge said recently. “A tip of the cap to Boonie. But also, a tip of the cap to the players we have in the clubhouse. We rally around him and support him. He puts us in the right spots to succeed.”
That would mean a lot in a normal season, but for the Yankees they’ve played beyond injuries to many of their key players, including Judge, who last week finally returned from the injured list because of a stress fracture in his top right rib after missing 84 games.
“There’s a lot of personalities in here,” Judge added. “He does a good job of getting us motivated to go out there and do our jobs despite the injuries we’ve had, being able to call guys up and putting them in the right position to succeed.”
Here’s the roster of stars who have missed significant amounts of games, aside from Judge: Starting pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rondon and Clarke Schmidt; Giancarlo Stanton, the DH; left-fielder Cody Bellinger; center fielder Trent Grisham, and second baseman Jazz Chisholm.
That’s a virtual All-Star team.
Judge, who returned on Sept. 8, was removed for a pinch-hitter during the sixth inning of Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Twins in 12 innings at Target Field because of some tightness in his lower right leg. Whether that move was precautionary or will have any ramifications with nine games left in the regular season is still to be determined.
But it has to be a point of consternation.
“No matter what, we have to go out each day and play the best baseball we can,” Bellinger said. “Playing through all the injuries, that reflects well on the depth of this team. A bunch of young kids coming up and performing. It speaks well for the culture of this locker room.”
Yanks Who Missed Games This Year Are An All-Star List
Cole didn’t pitch until May 22 after missing more than a year recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Rondon didn’t return until May 10 recovering from offseason left elbow surgery, and spent another stint from June 28 to Aug. 18 on the IL. Fried went down on May 13 with a sore left elbow, and after returning on July 22, had to go back on the IL again for another 15 days. Schmidt spent the entire season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery and was activated on Wednesday.
In their stead, Cam Schlittler emerged as one of the top starters in the AL, a bonified Cy Young and MVP candidate. Will Warren and Ryan Weathers bolstered the back of the injury-plagued rotation.
“A lot of the credit goes to Will and Weathers for taking the ball every day as long as they could,” Cole said. “And obviously Cam being the lead horse in the cart.”
On the offensive side, Stanton hasn’t played since April 24 because of calf injuries in both legs and seems to be lost for the season, although Boone has denied that. Bellinger missed a month from July 25 to Aug. 23 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. Grishman suffered a Grade 2 right hammy on Sept. 4 and appears to be out until perhaps the playoffs. Ditto Chisholm, who sprained his right thumb sliding into the second base head first on Sept. 8.
That means $253.8 million of their third in the Majors payroll of $342.9 billion for luxury tax purposes has been inactive for major parts of the season, according to figures provided by Spotrac.
“It’s been a very tough year for Aaron,” Joe Girardi, the club’s previous manager and now a YES analyst said during Wednesday’s broadcast. “It hasn’t been an easy year for him to manage.”
All these injuries forced the Yankees to dip into the minor leagues. They’ve brought up shorystop George Lombard Jr., recalled now second baseman Anthony Vople, and outfielder Spencer Jones. Including Judge, Schlitter and first baseman Ben Rice, the Yankees are playing an unprecedented for recent times group of home grown players.
That’s meant a lot of juggling for Boone, who has been up to the task.
“We’re never satisfied, but that’s relative to how short-strengthened we’ve been,” Cole said. “Add figuring out how to win when we’re playing less than desirable. Defensive mistakes are magnified in close games. They make you sick to your stomach. Those are the tangibles that fall into the category of giving everyone credit, particularly the guy at the head of the ship, the skipper.”
The Yanks Are Heading Into The Postseason Pretty Healthy
The good news is, the Yanks should be healthy and rested as they embark on the most important time of the season.
First things first: The Yanks play a three-game set this weekend at Arizona before flying home to take on the Rays for four games at Yankee Stadium to decide the division. The Rays hold a 6-3 head-to-head advantage against them, so barring a sweep, they’ll host the Red Sox again in a best-of-three AL Wild Card series from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. They have their top four starters lined up for the Rays-Cole, Schlittler, Fried and Rondon-as the rotation remains in order, Boone said.
If the Yanks reprise last year’s opening round victory over Boston, it’ll be on to Tropicana Field for s best-of-five AL Division Series.
None of this is easy. They Yanks will finish with the second best record in a very weak AL behind the Rays and likely fifth overall in Major League Baseball. They are 10-4 in September and have won 12 of their last 17 games.
The stakes only get higher when the calendar rolls into October. The Yanks haven’t won the World Series since 2009 when Girardi was at the helm. They’ve only been there once – a 2024 five-game loss to the Dodgers – during the Boone era.
He’s under contract for next season and is undoubtedly safe. Based on the hurdles of this season thus far, more than safe.
“I think his ability to feel out when guys have a bunch left in the tank or when to pull them, is key,” Judge said. “Managing a lineup, putting guys in the right spot, handling the personnel, and the platooning. Just an incredible job by him.”
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