Is Aaron Judge asking Anthony Rizzo to deliver the message he can't to get Aaron Boone fired?

Anthony Rizzo has had a lot to say about the state of the New York Yankees following the humiliating defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. Given Rizzo's close friendship with Yankees captain Aaron Judge, it's fair to wonder, when he takes the organization to task, how many of his opinions have been influenced by the three-time MVP.

Rizzo (very rightfully) ripping Jazz Chisholm Jr. following the much-maligned second baseman's comments about being confused at the boos he (also very rightfully) received during Game 3 seemed like they came, at least in part, from Judge.

Now, once again, Rizzo is back on his Ross and Rizzo Unfiltered podcast, laying down the hammer on the Yankees, this time taking aim at New York's repeated postseason failures and maybe, indirectly, at Aaron Boone.

"We just keep doing the same thing every year, and we don't win. That's insanity. It's the same thing every single year," Rizzo said. "Now, we can go back and be like, well, we have this, this, and this. Judge was hurt. Giancarlo [Stanton] was hurt. But they had the best pitching they've ever had this year. The bats are short. If you talk to people there, they almost think it's insanity. Like, we just keep doing the same thing every year, and we don't win.

"That's insanity. That's the definition of insanity if you think it's going to change. You cannot look at this lineup and not be optimistic about it. But they don't win. They can't beat the good teams. And that's just how it's been year after year. We're talking about one of the highest payrolls in the game and a fan base that expects to win every single year. They haven't won since 2009. I don't know what needs to change."

By the end, Rizzo sounded exasperated. A few things really stand out. First, who are these "people" with the Yankees that think this is insanity? It was also pretty clear that he wasn't putting the blame on the front office by citing the payroll, or the players by citing the talent on the pitching staff and in the lineup. The final line about not knowing what needs to change sounded coy, and by process of elimination, it seems as if he's trying to say that Boone is the problem without exactly saying it.

Aaron Judge may or may not be using Anthony Rizzo as a mouthpiece, but Aaron Boone is a clear Yankees problem

Again, it's pure speculation to think that Rizzo's comments were anything but his own thoughts, but it's hard to imagine that he and Judge haven't talked since the defeat, and it's easy to believe that the "people" Rizzo is referring to are Judge and maybe some others.

What is clear is that the franchise's aura has completely worn off. CC Sabathia said as much, claiming that the clubhouse doesn't live up to the same Yankee standard that was alive and well when he was in pinstripes. His breaking point for that was Brett Gardner's retirement following the 2021 season. But his broader claim is that the legends of the past aren't around as much to hold the players accountable anymore.

While that's not fully a Boone issue, Boone played here at the height of that aura. He authored one of the most magical home runs in Yankees history in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. That came just as the dynasty era began to wane. So while the skipper didn't play here for a long time, he should know as well as anyone what that Yankee standard is.

Judge already put out a plea to Brian Cashman to retool a broken roster. "If we've got holes, if it's finding certain players or personnel, whatever we need, you've got to go out there and get it," he said.

He can do that because he's not calling out anyone by name. However, advocating outright for a managerial change creates a situation too toxic for any franchise to handle. But getting someone from the outside, but who also still has a connection to the organization like Rizzo, to do it for you? Yeah, that could play.

Judge and Boone clashed a bit at the end of the regular season regarding the status of the superstar's injured calf. Looking back, that might have been the moment that foreshadowed things boiling over completely.

It's also worth noting that just before the Game 3 defeat, Rizzo spoke with Yanks Go Yard and essentially sang Boone's praises; therefore, it's a bit strange to see something of a reversal, unless someone got in his ear.

Again, Rizzo didn't call out Boone by name. It's conceivable that he's talking about something else needing to change. But if it, as it seems from his comments, isn't the players or the front office, that doesn't leave many non-Boone alternatives. That's all we're saying.

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