Cashman praises Boone, defends Yankees from Kelly criticism - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sounded as if he intends to bring back manager Aaron Boone for an eighth season and defended his team from criticism by Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly over New York's sloppy World Series defensive play.

«I'm a big Aaron Boone fan. I think he's a great manager and I think we're lucky to have him,» Cashman said Tuesday at the general managers meetings.

Boone has led the Yankees to a 603-429 record, three American League East titles and one pennant in seven seasons. After the five-game loss to the Dodgers in the World Series last week, Boone said he hadn't thought about his future.

Boone agreed in October 2021 to a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2025. Cashman said the deadline for the option is 10 days after the World Series and he envisioned discussing both the option and a new deal.

«I can't put the cart ahead of the horse. We haven't gotten there,» he said.

Cashman didn't fault Boone for moves he made during the postseason.

«The manager's job is so impossible, so you can play the game of second-guessing because you're either going to make a move and it'll be right, you make a move and it'll be wrong and then have at it, right?» he said. «So I think he's a really, really good manager. I think that we're lucky to have him. He's done a great job.»

Cashman acknowledged the World Series performance was a disappointment. The Yankees blew a 10th-inning lead in the opener when Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam off Nestor Cortes. After losing the first three games and winning Game 4, the Yankees wasted a 5-0 lead in Game 5 in a five-run fifth inning when center fielder Aaron Judge and shortstop Anthony Volpe made errors and pitcher Gerrit