Should Aaron Boone be on hot seat? Yankees manager addresses job security before new chase for elusive title.
HOUSTON — On Opening Day eve for 24 of the 30 Major League clubs, BetOnline announced updated odds for postseason awards on Wednesday. The Yankees were well represented. The two top American League MVP favorites are Aaron Judge at 5/1 followed by Juan Soto at 6/1. Also making the list as a longshot is Gleyber Torres at 100/1.
Earlier in March, the betting site released lines for first manager fired.
Want to take a wild guess who had the best odds?
Uh huh, Mr. Aaron Boone at 5/1.
Once again, Boone’s job security is one of the Yankees’ storylines, this time heading into Thursday’s season opener at Minute Maid Park because a bunch of regular-season success prior to 2023 didn’t turn into championship No. 28 or pennant No. 41 for the MLB’s winningest franchise.
The Yankees won it all in 2009 when Derek Jeter and the rest of the Core Four climbed the mountaintop one last time. Ever since, there’s been a bunch of playoff appearances, a few trips to the ALCS and no World Series appearances or titles with Joe Girardi managing from 2010-17 and Boone skippering since 2018.
The pennant drought is up to 14 years, which is the longest since the franchise was born in 1903 – the same year of the first World Series – through 1920, Babe Ruth’s first year in pinstripes. But during that 18-year streak of no pennants, the franchise was called the New York Highlanders for the first decade.
Thus, the Yankees are in their longest run ever of no pennants.
There’s been enormous pressure on Boone to get the Yankees over the hump every year, and it grows each time another season ends in disappointment.
This year might be Boone’s last chance. His last contract was a three-run deal that runs through 2024 and has a club option for 2025 that may not be exercised unless the Yankees’ season is a lot better than last year’s, especially October.
