TAMPA — With pitchers and catchers reporting to Yankees camp on Monday and Aaron Boone in the final year of his contract, the manager said that the topic of an extension has been discussed.
“Nothing’s happened yet,” the 51-year-old said. “I know there have been some talks around that. That’ll handle itself and work itself out. The reality is I’m so fired up to be here today and to get to work for this organization and for [Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner] that hopefully something does work out. There’s no other place I’d rather be, and no other team I’d rather be doing it with. So we’ll see how that stuff plays out. But we at least have had some talks.”
That’s no surprise, as Steinbrenner recently said such talks were in his plans after Boone took the Yankees to the World Series for the first time in his managerial career last season. Boone had a team option for the 2025 season picked up shortly thereafter.
“We will be talking with him in the days and weeks to come,” Steinbrenner told the YES Network in late January.
The 2025 season will mark Boone’s eighth season at the helm. While the skipper has received criticism from fans throughout his time with the Yankees, he’s taken the team to the playoffs in all but one season, 2023, and is the seventh-winningest manager in franchise history with a 603-429 record.
Boone also has strong support in the Yankees’ clubhouse, particularly from Aaron Judge and other vets.
Cousins, Clayton Catching Up
Boone said that physicals didn’t reveal any new injuries on Tuesday, but righty reliever Jake Cousins came into camp with a forearm strain that could jeopardize his availability for Opening Day.
The 2024 breakout pitcher is a few weeks into a 3-4-week period of no throwing, per Boone. The hope is that he’ll start throwing next week or the following week.
Clayton Beeter, meanwhile, dealt with a shoulder issue over the winter. That has put him a bit behind in his buildup progression, but Beeter, another right-handed relief option, has already begun throwing off a mound.
Who’s Batting First?
When asked who his leadoff hitter will be, Boone replied, “I don’t know.”
The question has no clear answer at the moment, with Boone adding that he could see six or seven names in the role. Boone also said his leadoff hitter could change based on matchups.
“Hopefully, it smacks us over the head and becomes very clear at some point,” he said, “but I really don’t have someone in mind necessarily.”
While Boone didn’t want to name any names, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jasson Domínguez and Anthony Volpe make sense as logical, if imperfect, options.