MLB 2025: Can Yankees recover from World Series nightmare? - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. -- Aaron Boone's first message to the 2025 New York Yankees, delivered at Steinbrenner Field in mid-February when all uniformed personnel were still beardless and an ulnar collateral ligament had not yet torpedoed their ace's season, was about hunger. Having the hunger to win. Fighting for it.

«It's not just a given,» said Boone, who is entering his eighth season as the team's manager. «The early indications tell me I do think we have an edge to us, a purpose to what we're doing. But it's early. We gotta live that.»

For the Yankees, and their fan base, expectations never fluctuate. It's forever World Series or disappointment, and disappointment has punctuated each of the past 15 seasons.

That appetite spiked coming off a 2023 season in which the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. This season, the hunger is amplified by a vastly different result in 2024: The Yankees reached the World Series only to squander a five-run lead in a home elimination game against the Los Angeles Dodgers — with one of the worst defensive innings in postseason history.

Baseball is a sport that requires people to constantly flush away inevitable failure to move on to the next pitch, the next at-bat, the next game. But, as Boone knows, failure can also serve as a motivator. His players are learning all about that, too.

«I think some of those things, some of those feelings you don't necessarily get over ever,» 23-year-old shortstop Anthony Volpe said. «But I think our team and our clubhouse has done a pretty good job of using those things and those feelings to push us to new heights and new things. I think the best part is I don't think we'll ever get over that.»

The inning-long disaster gave way to an equally