Report: former all-star Aaron Boone set to become new Yankees manager
NEW YORK — The Yankees have picked ESPN broadcaster Aaron Boone to succeed Joe Girardi as manager, a person familiar with New York’s decision told the Associated Press.
The decision had not been announced by the team.
Now 44, Boone has never been a manager or even a coach at any level since retiring as a player after the 2009 season. His 11thinning home run off Boston’s Tim Wakefield won Game 7 of the AL Championship Series for the Yankees against Boston.
Boone was a big league third baseman from 1997-2009 and an all-star in 2003, when New York acquired him from the Reds at the trade deadline.
Boone was among six people interviewed for the job and won out over Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson, former Cleveland and Seattle manager Eric Wedge, San Francisco bench coach Hensley Meulens, Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward and former Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran, who retired as a player after winning his first World Series this year with Houston.
After missing out on the Yankees’ job, Thomson told the Phillies he is accepting an offer to become their bench coach, a person familiar that decision said. That person also spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision was not announced.
Five days after New York lost to Houston in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman announced Oct. 26 that Girardi was not being offered a new contract after 10 seasons, the team’s 27th World Series title in 2009 and a 910-710 regular-season record. Cashman later said he was concerned over “ability to fully engage, communicate, connect with the playing personnel.”
Boone was the fourth of the candidates to interview with New York, going through about six hours of conversations at Yankee Stadium on Nov. 17.
“I would say in a way I’ve been preparing for this job for the last 44 years,” he said then.
Boone’s career with New York was brief. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a pickup basketball game in January 2004 and was released by the Yankees, who claimed he violated a prohibition against basketball in the guarantee language of his contract.
Boone’s grandfather, Ray, was a two-time all-star infielder from 1948-60. His father, Bob, was a four-time all-star catcher from 1972-90, then managed Kansas City from 1995-97 and Cincinnati from 2001-03. His brother, Bret, was a three-time all-star second baseman in a big league career from 1992-2005.
Blue Jays cut loose Goins
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays declined to tender contracts to infielder Ryan Goins and righthanded pitcher Tom Koehler on Friday, making them free agents.
Toronto also acquired shortstop Aledmis Diaz from the St. Louis Cardinals for minor league outfielder J.B. Woodman.
Goins had spent his entire fiveyear MLB career with the Blue Jays and played 143 games for the team in 2017.
The 29-year-old Goins hit .237 and had career highs in both home runs (nine) and runs-batted in (62).
Koehler, who was acquired from the Miami Marlins in a Aug. 19 trade, appeared in 15 games for Toronto and was used primarily as a long-relief pitcher. He finished his tenure with the Jays with a 0-2 record and 2.65 earned-run average over 17 innings.