Coming off a run to last year’s World Series, Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to Tampa on Tuesday with spring training workouts set to start on Wednesday.
Before those workouts begin, manager Aaron Boone met with reporters to discuss the state of his team, including the battle for the starting third base job, his thoughts on the club’s pivot from Juan Soto, and much more.
Here’s what Boone had to say as he begins his eighth season at the helm of the Bronx Bombers…
On the mindset heading into spring training and the current roster make-up
“We’re excited. I always caution at this time that it’s February. We have high hopes and big dreams, rightfully so. Like, we’re going to battle here starting tomorrow with the pitchers and catchers and later in the week with the position players, with a talented group, capable of a lot of things. But right now, that’s what it is. We have a chance to be a really good club, which is usually the case year in and year out when you get to put on this uniform, but now it’s on us to start doing the work. … It’s an exciting time.”
On how well the front office pivoted after Juan Soto signed with Mets
“We’ll judge it in the end, right? But I think [I’m] really proud of the pivot, as people would say, whether it’s from ownership down through our front office. Look, there’s no running from the fact of losing a player Juan Soto. We all saw how important he was to our club last year and we did a lot to try to keep him here. I think everyone understands how much we wanted him back. That being said, there’s a lot of ways to build a great team, and I think the moves that we’ve made this offseason give us that chance. … We’ve got a long road ahead of us to get back [to the World Series], but with that we have and the moves we’ve made this winter to go along with what we already had, I feel like we have that chance there, we have that template. Now it’s on us again to go out and deliver on that.”
On the club’s starting third baseman options
“It’s a great opportunity for somebody to grab it. DJ’s healthy, which has really been the issue for him over the last couple of years. He’s had those things that have popped up that have really zapped his greatness. I’m not going to put anything past a healthy DJ LeMahieu and his ability to hit. So, hopefully he’s healthy. Hopefully he’s one of those guys who kind of kicks the door in and runs with it. We certainly know what he’s capable of, coupled with being outstanding defensively. Oswaldo Cabrera is going to get an opportunity to really kick that door in, if you will. [Oswald] Peraza, [Jorbit] Vivas, all those guys where you’re looking for somebody to kind of step up and grab it. If it becomes a shared position, that’s possible, too.”
Is Jasson Dominguez the starting left fielder?
“I’d like to think so, but again, he’s a young guy who still has to go out and earn it and hasn’t played a ton of baseball for as fast as he’s gotten to the big leagues and as much success as we’ve seen him have. I think all of us in this room would recognize just how talented he is. I’d love for him to secure it and grab it, but my expectation is that he will.
“He’s in a good spot right now, he’s got a good look in his eye, and he’s going to get every opportunity to be that guy, and we are certainly hoping that he shows us that.”
On contract talks heading into final year of Boone’s deal
“Nothing’s happened yet. I know that there have been some talks around that. That’ll handle itself and work itself out. The reality is I’m so fired up to be here today and to work for this organization and for Hal [Steinbrenner] that hopefully something does work out. There’s no other place I’d rather be, and no other team I’d rather be doing it with. So, we’ll see how that stuff plays out, but we at least have had some talks.”
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