Aaron Boone feels that the New York Yankees have their strongest sense of unity in years, even though it may not be a current metric.
“With this bunch, it’s evident how close these guys are to one another and how they play for each other. Just four days before the World Series opening against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the manager stated Monday, “It has been all year, since day one.”
“These guys enjoy helping each other out because they love each other.” The Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since winning the championship in 2009 and are vying for their 28th championship.
Before the 2018 season, Boone replaced Joe Girardi, and his teams lost in the wild-card round in 2021, the Division Series in 2018 and 2020, and the AL Championship Series in 2019 and 2022.
With an 82-80 record at the end of the previous season, New York missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Many players, including captain Aaron Judge, were so disappointed that they reported to the team’s minor league facilities in Tampa, Florida, just weeks before spring training formally started.
“The leaders and the men that have been here took all of it very personally and knew that this season needed to be fantastic. Even in the cold, perhaps simply a more focused approach,” Boone remarked. “Building those relationships in addition to working out and preparing for spring training.”
New additions for 2024 bonded well with the veterans. “It’s just a brotherhood,” pitcher Clarke Schmidt said. “We love each other. We’ve got each other’s backs.”
Boone spoke in the Yankee Stadium news conference room, wearing a new World Series sweatshirt with a World Series logo backdrop. The team had an optional workout as they began to shift their focus from Saturday’s AL pennant-winning game against Cleveland to the NL champion Dodgers.
While going through the postseason, Boone mentioned that he has been texting with Joe Torre, who managed the Yankees to championships in 1996 and from 1998 to 2000.
Only five World Series featuring teams with the top records in their leagues since wild cards were created will feature New York and Los Angeles. The Dodgers and Tampa Bay (2020), Boston and St. Louis (2013), the Yankees and Braves (1999), and Cleveland and Atlanta (the first wild-card season in 1995) were the previous meetings.
Judge and Shohei Ohtani, who are probably going to win the league MVP award, are in this series. After Babe Ruth and George Kelly (1921), Ruth and Jim Bottomley (1928), Lou Gehrig and Mel Ott (1936), Joe DiMaggio and Ott (1937), and Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider (1956), they will become one of only six pairs of league home run leaders to face off in the Series.
Only two MVPs have played each other in the Series since 1980: Buster Posey and Miguel Cabrera in 2012, and Kirk Gibson and Jose Canseco in 1988.
“The stars will not be visible.” Boone stated, “Hopefully, we can deliver on a great Series, as the eyes will be watching.”
New York has been reasonably healthy this season after a number of injury-plagued seasons: Judge played in 158 games, Juan Soto in 157, Gleyber Torres in 154, Alex Verdugo in 149, and Anthony Volpe in 160. Nestor Cortes made thirty starts, Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman both made nineteen, and Carlos Rodón made thirty-two.
Ace Due to discomfort in his right elbow, Gerrit Cole didn’t begin his season until June 19. Since then, he has only missed one rotation. In September, Jon Berti returned after a calf strain, Gil from a back strain, and Schmidt from a lat strain.
After recuperating from a flexor strain in his left elbow that has kept him out since September 18, Cortes is probably going to be added to the World Series roster. Anthony Rizzo, the first baseman, hit.429 in the LCS (6 for 14) after recovering from two shattered fingers.
In mid-September, Boone declared, “We are as complete as we have been in several years.” “We’ve had successful seasons and advanced to the postseason in a number of years, but we’ve also had some injuries.”
Cole will begin the first game, and although Boone would not confirm the rotation, Rodón, Schmidt, and Gil are most likely to follow. Boone stated, “I think this is our best team, at least for this time of year, which is why we’re here.”
