BRADENTON, Fla. — Hal Steinbrenner typically prefers to let contracts play out instead of doing extensions ahead of time.
The Yankees appear willing to make an exception for Aaron Boone.
Brian Cashman said Friday that he and Steinbrenner have been working through talks with Boone regarding an extension, entering the final year of his contract, and added that he believes a deal could happen this spring.
“We picked up his option last year, but that’s not our intent — our intent is to find an extension, so certainly I’ve been working through that and Hal Steinbrenner has been working through that with Aaron Boone,” Cashman said at the Grapefruit League media day at LECOM Park. “We’re hopeful at some point, sooner than later, that we’ll be able to officially cement something. But obviously I haven’t gotten there yet. Just give us time. Our main focus this whole winter has been on roster construction and some of this other stuff we’re just getting to.
Manager Aaron Boone talks to the media after the Yankees’ workout on Feb. 13, 2025 at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“But our intent is to make sure Aaron Boone is going to continue with the Yankees past the 2025 season.”
The Yankees let Boone’s first contract with the club play out before signing him to a new deal after the 2021 season.
That contract came with a club option for 2025, which the Yankees picked up in November after falling short in the World Series, but now they are talking about making sure their partnership lasts longer than that.
Boone did not want to comment on the topic Friday, but earlier in the week acknowledged that there had been some talks about an extension.
“The reality is I’m so fired up to be here today and to get to work for this organization and for Hal that hopefully something does work out,” Boone said on Tuesday. “There’s no other place I’d rather be and no other team I’d rather be doing it with. So we’ll see.”
Devin Williams talks with Aaron Boone (left) and pitching coach Matt Blake, after throwing live batting practice during the Yankees’ workout on Feb. 14, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The even-keeled Boone has the support of his clubhouse, with Aaron Judge among his biggest fans, despite often infuriating the fan base with his in-game decisions or constant public backing of his struggling players.
Cashman lauded Boone on Friday for his “temperament” and handling the highs and lows of managing in New York.
“I know if he wasn’t the Yankee manager, it would be a feeding frenzy for him to be a manager that’s coveted elsewhere,” Cashman said. “Objectively, that’s how we see it. We’re hopeful we can find common ground to continue his leading our players from that dugout.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks in the tunnel under the stands at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, after getting his physical on report day for pitchers and catchers on Feb. 11, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
As for other topics covered in Cashman’s State of the Yankees address during the first week of camp:
1. The most obvious issue on the roster is third base, where DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas are set to battle for the job, barring any external additions.
Cashman declined to say whether he needed to free up any salary (as in moving Marcus Stroman’s contract) before making further additions to the roster, with the Yankees currently about $4 million over the highest luxury tax threshold.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner sits in the dugout during the team’s spring training practice on Feb. 13, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
But like Boone, Cashman voiced his hope that LeMahieu could rebound this spring if he is healthy, which has been an issue the past few years.
“Hopefully all that can get thrown out the door and we see a different version of DJ this spring, because ultimately, the one thing we haven’t been in position to see is a DJ that’s a healthy version,” Cashman said. “He’s going to be given an opportunity, he’s healthy and we’ll compete. And then we’ll see where it plays out and it’ll answer itself on its own.”
2. Cashman acknowledged that the Yankees were “bad” defensively last season, but he believes they should be better there this year with the imports of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. That is just one of the areas he believes they should improve in, along with one obvious hole.
“I know it’s a different roster — it’s different in the fact that we’re, on paper, more improved defensively, more athletic, maybe more balanced on the offensive side, more strikeouts coming into the [bull]pen than the previous year, deeper starting rotation than it was — all those things are positives,” Cashman said. “Negative is we lost a generational talent in Juan Soto, and how do you overcome that? The pivot is certainly an effort in doing so.”
