Aaron Boone Will Return as Yankees Manager in 2021, Says Hal Steinbrenner

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured ColumnistOctober 13, 2020

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone takes part in a TV interview during a pause in Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

New York Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner is not happy with the team's elimination in the American League Divisional Series against its AL East rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays.

He did confirm that manager Aaron Boone would return next season, however, during an interview on The Michael Kay Show. But Boone may find himself on the hot seat given New York's disappointing season, at least through Steinbrenner's eyes.

"I didn't like what I saw with the inconsistency, especially in a short season," he said (h/t Bryan Hoch of MLB.com).

Boone, 47, is 236-148 in three seasons as New York's manager. They've reached the postseason every year under his watch, though they've yet to make it out of the ALCS.

Steinbrenner also apologized to Yankees fans for not bringing home a title this season:

Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
Hal Steinbrenner apologizes to Yankees fans, saying the team should have won the World Series and "we didn't even come close."

"Our objective was to win a world championship. We failed in that endeavor," he added, per Hoch. "Does that mean the whole season was a failure? No."

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Steinbrenner also touched on a number of other topics regarding the season, from general manager Brian Cashman to the performance of expensive free-agent signing Gerrit Cole:

Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
Hal Steinbrenner said that he is happy with GM Brian Cashman's performance. "It's been good. We're just going to have to keep plugging away."

Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
Hal Steinbrenner on Gerrit Cole: "He's hardcore. We got exactly what we wanted."

Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
Hal Steinbrenner said that he believes Gary Sanchez will return to form in 2021. "We'll get him back."

Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
Hal Steinbrenner said that he recognizes DJ LeMahieu's value to the team ... "and I'll leave it at that."

While the Yankees dealt with some injuries during the truncated season, failing to win the AL East was a disappointment. The team still went 33-27, reaching the postseason as the second team out of the division. But the club was inconsistent, to say the least.

The Yankees looked like they were heading into the postseason as a force to be reckoned with, winning 10 straight games in mid-September. But they closed the regular season on a 2-6 slump, ending any slim hope they might have had of winning the division.

No matter—they promptly swept Cleveland in two games during the AL Wild Card Series, setting up a matchup against the Rays. Tampa won the season series convincingly, 8-2, though the Rays needed all five games to end New York's bid for a title in the ALDS.

So it's back to the drawing board for the Yankees. Given their payroll and reputation, it's World Series or bust each and every year. By those standards, 2020 was a bust.