Joe Girardi is not pointing fingers at Aaron Boone for the Yankees’ failures, but he’s suggesting that a more fundamental cultural issue might have played a role in the team’s elimination in the ALDS.
During a discussion on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” the former Yankees manager expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s fundamentals, highlighting a couple of critical postseason mistakes that illustrated his worries.
“There are moments that make you wonder, ‘Is anyone addressing this?’” Girardi mentioned on The Post podcast.
He referred to Austin Wells’ baserunning error in Game 1 and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s poor throw in a mistake-riddled Game 2 as clear examples of foundational breakdowns, along with the troubling lack of response to those errors.
Chisholm, for his part, remarked he would probably attempt the same throw again if given the chance, an assertion that Girardi vehemently disagreed with. “You said you’d do it the same way? No! You can’t do that again—it didn’t work!” he emphasized. “Some of the baserunning signals, the way players slide—someone has to step in and say, ‘Enough is enough!’”
Having managed the Yankees from 2009-2017, Girardi articulated that addressing this careless play is crucial, especially during the regular season, particularly for those who are underperforming.
He also mentioned infielder Anthony Volpe, who held the shortstop position for New York before being sent down to Triple-A midway through the season.
“I think it was beneficial for Anthony Volpe,” Girardi noted. “He seemed to perform better upon returning because he realized, ‘I can’t keep doing this; it’s not working.”
At 62, Girardi understands the complexities and demands of managing the Yankees. He led them to a World Series championship in 2009 but was dismissed after reaching the ALCS in 2017, eventually being succeeded by Boone.
Looking ahead to what is expected to be a significant offseason for the Yankees, Girardi defended Boone, especially since Boone’s future has been questioned after yet another quick exit from the playoffs.
He argued that 2026 could be considered Boone’s strongest year, pointing out that the team secured the second-best record in the American League, despite facing numerous injuries and poor performances from key players.
“Can you really say that’s on him? I don’t think so,” Girardi stated. “To me, that’s not his fault. I just don’t believe the players performed to the levels they were expected to, and some simply aren’t as good as they were thought to be.”
