It seems that anybody expecting New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner would blow things up after the club missed the playoffs this season will be disappointed.
Both Neil Best of Newsday and MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY reported Wednesday that Steinbrenner will likely welcome “subtle” changes to the organization coming off three days of meetings that occurred in Tampa, Fla.
“The expectation is that ‘subtle’ will be a key word,” Martino specifically noted.
Martino reported last week that it was “expected” Yankees manager Aaron Boone would retain his job through at least the start of next season. On Wednesday, Martino added that “the Yankees have not yet determined how they will announce to the public” Boone’s return.
Boone has a year left on his contract that includes a club option for 2025. He guided New York to the postseason each year from 2018 through 2022 and was repeatedly backed this season by captain Aaron Judge and other players despite the club’s struggles.
Yankees senior vice president and general manager Brian Cashman is signed through the 2026 season and is also staying put until further notice.
“To have a captain that I can really talk to that is a true leader of the team and respected by young players, veterans, everybody, it’s a benefit, because you have to get their perspective,” Steinbrenner said during a Wednesday panel discussion at Sportico’s “Invest in Sports” conference, per Best. “It’s good to have that sounding board.”
According to Best, both Cashman and Boone were involved in the meetings that lasted roughly eight hours per day.
“The agenda included everything from analytics to weight room practices to clubhouse culture and beyond,” Best said about the meetings as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last week that “higher-ups will likely just suggest to Boone to instill more discipline (i.e., be tougher)” after the 2023 Yankees finished at 82-80.
“It was very respectful, but it did get heated at times, and that’s good as long as some constructive things come out of that, and I think they will,” Steinbrenner told Best about the meetings.
