The New York Yankees face a pivotal moment: change is necessary, but removing Cashman and Boone is not the answer.
NEW YORK — In a season filled with ups and downs, the intriguing reality is that there’s no single person to hold accountable for the Yankees’ loss in the Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Sure, some die-hard fans may clamor for the dismissal of manager Aaron Boone, while others direct their frustration towards general manager Brian Cashman. However, it's crucial to understand that neither of them is to blame for the Yankees' inability to advance past Toronto in a best-of-five series, which they lost three games to one.
Both Boone and Cashman have shown their strengths in the 2025 season. Boone successfully lifted the team out of a challenging 18-29 slump earlier in the year, leading them to an impressive 34-14 finish and a significant victory over the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card series. Meanwhile, Cashman made notable adjustments after missing out on acquiring Juan Soto last offseason and took bold steps to strengthen the roster during the trade deadline, even though some moves yielded mixed results.
Nevertheless, for a club like the Yankees that operates under a championship-or-bust mentality, this season can be considered a disappointment. They have now gone 16 seasons without a World Series title, with Cashman at the helm since 1998. Boone has overseen eight seasons without a championship, and the only time they reached the World Series during his tenure was last year. For context, Joe Torre, who managed the Yankees to four championships, remained in his position for 10 years, as did Joe Girardi after winning one title. Boone’s tenure might be seen as secure until 2027, assuming that there’s no major disruption such as a lockout that could impact the season. And while Cashman has led the Yankees to 27 continuous winning seasons and four championships, even his time will eventually come to an end—but that moment isn’t here just yet.
The Yankees finished the regular season with an identical record of 94 wins as the Blue Jays, managing to eliminate a clearly weaker Red Sox team in the opening round. However, when it came down to the Division Series, the Blue Jays undeniably proved to be the superior team.
As I pointed out earlier this week, there’s a looming concern: perennial MVP contender Aaron Judge will turn 34 next April, and the Yankees may have squandered some of his prime years. In the postseason, Judge showcased his talent, hitting .500 with a remarkable .500/.581/.692 slash line, including a memorable three-run, game-tying homer in Game 3, which fans will undoubtedly remember. However, despite these significant individual performances, the team failed to reach the American League Championship Series.
The postseason can be merciless, especially for a team that must emerge victorious in four series. The Yankees found themselves battling this reality after losing a tiebreaker to the Blue Jays for the AL East title—and consequently, home-field advantage in the Division Series. Boone had confidently claimed this was his best roster yet, yet they fell short compared to performances in previous years, specifically in 2019, 2022, and '24.
We could analyze specific facets of the Yankees’ performance against Toronto—like defensive mistakes, underwhelming pitching starts from Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, a nerve-wracking bullpen, and an offense that struggled significantly. For instance, Trent Grisham's 2-for-17 effort at the plate and Anthony Volpe’s alarming 14 strikeouts in his last 19 at-bats (dating back to the wild-card series) certainly raised eyebrows.
Despite this, Boone accurately noted that the Blue Jays "took it to us in this series." The Yankees did not embarrass themselves as they did during last year’s World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they were outscored 34-19 by the Blue Jays, including a disappointing 5-2 showing in the decisive game—even though Toronto resorted to a bullpen game for that matchup and had to play without one of their key hitters, shortstop Bo Bichette, who was sidelined due to a left knee sprain.
Injuries certainly played a role in the Yankees’ struggles; they lost ace pitcher Gerrit Cole and mid-rotation starter Clarke Schmidt to Tommy John surgeries. However, it’s worth noting that every team experiences lengthy absences from critical players. With the Yankees fielding the third-highest payroll in the game, this situation hardly warrants sympathy.
Looking ahead to next season, the Yankees might find their pitching rotation to be a strong point. With players like Fried, Rodón, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, and Will Warren, they have a solid foundation. Cole could be back in the latter half of the season, while Schmidt, having undergone a second Tommy John procedure, is not expected to return until 2027.
On the other hand, several areas of the roster require attention. Cashman’s upcoming task will not be as daunting as the overhaul following the Soto situation, and he managed to assemble a team that outperformed the one that initially signed Soto, the New York Mets. Yet, potential free agents such as Grisham, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt, alongside relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, present new challenges, as does the impending decision on second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is in the final year of his contract. Will the Yankees go against their usual policy and extend their dynamic 30-30 player? That remains uncertain, especially given Chisholm's sporadic lapses, making a trade a plausible alternative.
Another pressing question is whether the Yankees will continue with Volpe, who struggled with a shoulder injury that might have affected his game. He was uncertain Wednesday night about needing surgery. Shortstops are currently a scarce resource in the league. Retaining Bellinger should be a priority, as the majority of the other roster pieces appear replaceable. During his post-season review, Boone praised the quality of his roster and expressed confidence in the team’s cohesion and ability to bond at crucial moments. While he seemed genuine, it's clear that the Yankees cannot simply replicate their previous approach after such a disheartening conclusion. There’s a suggestion they should adopt a strategy similar to that of the Blue Jays, focusing on improved contact hitting and defense. Boone believes the Yankees have evolved defensively, though that perspective is open to debate.
A significant portion of Yankees fans continue to express their frustration towards Cashman and Boone, often dismissing the complexities involved in winning a World Series. Every season, 29 out of 30 teams face disappointment, leading to fair questions earlier in the season about whether Boone was adequately holding players accountable, or whether owner Hal Steinbrenner was providing sufficient oversight for Cashman. Yet, the way the Yankees rallied down the stretch and fought to the end in the Division Series will likely dissuade Steinbrenner from making sweeping changes, a course of action he rarely pursues.
Since becoming the principal owner in November 2008, Steinbrenner has never appointed a general manager other than Cashman, perhaps fearing the uncertainty that comes with such a transition. Cashman regards Boone as a trusted ally, and Boone undeniably has a strong rapport with the players. As noted by Chris Kirschner from The Athletic, managing personalities is a crucial aspect of modern-day leadership in sports, and few do it better than Boone.
No roster, manager, or general manager is perfect. A key concern surrounding the potential dismissal of Cashman or Boone is the challenge of finding better replacements. The industry is not overflowing with exceptional executives and managers. It's more than likely that the Yankees might end up with candidates who do not surpass their current leadership.
However, there comes a point when organizations become stagnant and require change. Those advocating for the removal of Cashman and Boone likely believe that the time for such upheaval has already arrived. Ultimately, the voice that carries the most weight in this matter is Steinbrenner’s.
For the Yankees, being eliminated by the Blue Jays is disheartening, but it is not a disgrace. While management teams should only have a limited number of chances, overreacting in this situation would be illogical. Sometimes, certain seasons simply end in loss.
