Yankees' first reported offseason move shows they're going nowhere fast in 2025

Here we go again, folks! Remember after the 2021 season ended, most New York Yankees fans sat there and said, "well, there's no way they can bring back Aaron Boone after that disaster, huh?" and then they ... did. Boone got a contract extension without hesitation.

Fast forward to the conclusion of the 2024 season, right as the Yankees choked out of the World Series in spectacular fashion. Boone's contract is not guaranteed for 2025. The final year of the deal he signed back in 2021 featured a team option for the last year.

Not even an hour after the LA Dodgers were celebrating on the field at Yankee Stadium, it was reported Boone would be retained for 2025. And we don't believe for one second he will be put in a position to be a lame duck manager. This features the making of a contract extension. We've seen this story before.

We can debate all day long if Boone is "the problem" with the Yankees or not. There are plenty of arguments for and against. But the Yankees deciding to bring him back without hesitation once again speaks to their stale processes, outdated philosophy, and all-time stubbornness.

Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner just watched this team out-play their opponent in the World Series, yet lose handily because of a handful of managerial decisions, undisciplined play and a lack of fundamentals. So who are they attributing that to?

Yankees' first reported offseason move shows they're going nowhere fast in 2025

It simply has to be Boone! He has done less with more ever since he was hired in 2018. The Yankees may have ran into a gaunlet of teams at the beginning of his tenure, but they sure didn't get better because of it. In fact, they got worse!

Ignoring the fact Boone's coaching staff has undergone numerous overhauls since he was hired after the 2017 season, it's clear the organization is viewing "reaching the World Series" as a banner accomplishment. While it shouldn't be written off as "oh, well, the Yankees should have made it," perhaps they're forgetting this was not a playoff team in 2023 and that the addition of Juan Soto and the unlikely emergence of Luis Gil and a few unexpected bullpen arms changed everything.

Soto's hitting free agency and isn't guaranteed to return. Gleyber Torres will join him. The bullpen is going to see significant turnover. If they're factoring in Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes as impact starters next year, you might as well just hit the old dusty trail with your stick and bandana.

At best, this is a Wild Card roster without Soto. And look at the alignment across the diamond. Aaron Judge played a full season in center field, and he's not a center fielder. For the better part of the entire season, the Yankees didn't have a full-time first or third baseman. They got the same production from Alex Verdugo in left field as they did Joey Gallo. Soto, for as otherwordly as he is, is not a good fielder. Torres led all AL second basemen in errors. The gripes go on.

If Boone couldn't ride one of the hottest bats in the postseason in Stanton, as well as the two best hitters in the game in Judge and Soto, then what is he doing? How is he this integral to your operation? That's all we're asking. Because we have watched this team collapse in new and historic ways under his watch, and he's the easiest one to get rid of to see if that's the root of the problem.