From New York Post · · 2m
Aaron Boone's injury-riddled Yankees reach playoffs again
The Yankees manager joined elite company by making the postseason in eight of his first nine seasons despite a brutal injury year.
In brief
The Yankees manager joined elite company by making the postseason in eight of his first nine seasons despite a brutal injury year. Despite losing key players to injuries for extended periods, Boone kept the Yankees cohesive and playoff-bound for the eighth time in nine seasons. Originally reported by New York Post.
Boone joins elite playoff company
Aaron Boone became only the second MLB manager to reach the postseason in eight of his first nine seasons. He joins Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in that exclusive club.
Yankees legends set the standard
Boone is the third Yankees manager to make the playoffs in eight of nine seasons, joining Joe Torre and Casey Stengel. But those two won 11 World Series titles combined.
The championship pressure remains
In New York, Boone will ultimately be judged on winning a World Series, not just making the playoffs. He's still searching for his first title.
Judge backs his manager
Aaron Judge praised Boone in the clubhouse celebration, saying the team fights for him every night. "He loves every single guy in this room," Judge said.
“He's our guy. He's the one we go to battle for every single night and just lucky and blessed to have him here.”
An injury list from hell
The Yankees lost Judge for 84 games, Stanton for 124, Cole for 51, and Fried for 71. Clarke Schmidt has missed 150 games and counting, among many others.
Surviving when others would collapse
Despite the injuries, the Yankees are on pace to match their 94 wins from each of the last two seasons. Not every team survives that kind of adversity.
Manager of the Year case
Bench coach Brad Ausmus says Boone kept the group cohesive through injuries and should be in the Manager of the Year discussion, though it's tough for Yankees managers to win.
“It's very tough for a Yankee manager to win Manager of the Year.”
A brutal June-July stretch
The Yankees went 5-15 from late June to early July during Judge's absence. That skid may cost them the AL East division title to the Rays.
October is what matters now
Boone hopes to have his team peaking at the right time for a postseason run. The Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2009.
“Looking forward to more of that, more winning decisions and keep leading us.”
At a glance
Despite losing key players to injuries for extended periods, Boone kept the Yankees cohesive and playoff-bound for the eighth time in nine seasons.
