Alex Rodriguez has some thoughts on why the Yankees’ season came to a halt before the AL Championship Series, and he’s not pinning the blame on Aaron Boone.
The former Yankees third baseman stood up for the team’s manager after the Yankees suffered a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the AL Division Series.
During a postgame discussion on “FS1,” Rodriguez praised Boone but raised questions about the team’s roster decisions. He implied that the issues with the lineup put Boone in a tough spot.
Although he didn’t mention general manager Brian Cashman by name, Rodriguez hinted that certain key positions—like catcher, designated hitter, and first base—needed attention.
“Honestly, as an organization, Aaron Boone is the one who deserves the least blame,” Rodriguez remarked, adding that the Yankees’ roster was poorly constructed. “Three left-handed catchers, five DHs…it’s really a challenging situation for him,” he said. He also acknowledged that the Jays, who performed better throughout the season, were a formidable opponent.
The Yankees finished with a win over the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series but couldn’t compete with the Jays, who led the AL East and overall had a record of 34-17. A lack of offensive power during the playoffs was part of the problem.
Among players who got at-bats, only Aaron Judge, with a .500 average, managed to stay above .230, while regulars like Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Volpe posted batting averages below .200. The pitching staff also struggled, marking an ERA of 5.61, the second lowest among playoff teams.
When asked after the game if he believed he would still manage the Yankees next season, Boone didn’t seem concerned. “No, I have a contract,” he replied, indicating he wasn’t expecting any changes.
