Perspectives: Boone, Soto, and More...

Paul Semendinger
9 hours ago
5 min read

By Paul Semendinger

June 29, 2026

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The Yankees seem to be the only team in New York that fears changing their manager.

We see the same story season after season with Aaron Boone: bubble gum blowing, confusing answers, poor communication, little to no player accountability, or his own (for that matter), and, most of all, no championships.

And yet the Yankees stick with Aaron Boone year-after-year as their manager while stating that their objective is to win the World Series. Aaron Boone, though, stands in the way of that hope. He simply isn't a good manager.

I have shared these numbers before, but here are the games managed by the longest tenured Yankees managers without ever winning a championship:

1. Aaron Boone: 1,277 games

2. Buck Showalter: 582

3. Bill Donovan: 465 (1915-17)

(Note that even in 1917, the Yankees, who had never won a championship, expected more championships than their current brain trust.)

The entire managerial careers of Showalter and Donovan added together is fewer games than the amount of games that Boone has managed.

Boone came with no experience and simply hasn't ever improved as a manager.

The Mets realized that their manager, Carlos Mendoza, a manager tutored at the right hand of Aaron Boone, wasn't very good at what he was doing. As a result, Mendoza was fired.

Boone, though remains glued in the manager's seat in the Bronx. It seems as if he has a lifetime appointment.

***

I have stated for years that the Yankees want to be just good enough. They do not want to be great. They want to be better than average.

With that as their goal, the Yankees are actually great at what they do. The Yankees are great at building good teams. They are terrible at building great teams.

It would be nice if the Yankees decided, once and for all, to be great.

In order to be great though, a change of manager is necessary. Until that change is made, the Yankees will not be great.

***

Initially Aaron said he was angry (he used different words) about Jazz Chisholm and the lollipop.

He then started calling Chisholm "The Lollipop Kid" in a joking and fun manner.

Which is it, Mr. Boone?

At times Boone wants to be seen as a true leader and to be taken seriously. The next day he jokes about the situation trying to be one of the guys.

This is just another example of how Aaron Boone really does not know how to be a leader.

***

Every season Yankees have excuses for falling short. "Cole was injured." "Judge was injured." "Stanton was injured." We hear, "If only..."

We hear "If only..." a lot.

The Yankees are also outstanding at making excuses. If there was a World Series of making excuses, the Yankees would win it every year. Alas, there is not.

At some point, even the Yankees have to realize that fans want a championship - not a pennant race that ends in a loss led by a manger who is continually in over his head.

***

The other day in the comments, a reader brought up the Juan Soto trade. That happens a lot. Yankees fans remain fascinated with Juan Soto.

It seems the Yankees want the narrative around Soto's performance in the Bronx, and since with the Mets to be negative.

In fact, there are still Yankees fans angry about the trade that brought Juan Soto to the Yankees in the first place. That trade was a huge win for the Yankees.

Let's revisit that trade:

The Yankees got: Juan Soto. He has earned 16.7 WAR in the big leagues since the trade.

The Yankees gave up:

Jhony Brito - hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024

Drew Thorpe - hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2024

Randy Vasquez - has pitched to a 16-20, 4.32 record and has earned 2.9 WAR

Michael King - has pitched to a 23-19, 3.22 record and has earned 7.2 WAR

Kyle Higashioka - has batted .231 while earning 3.3 WAR

The grand total of the players the Yankees traded have totaled 13.4 WAR since the trade. Combined, they have not equaled Soto.

Now, Soto played with the Yankees for only one season. That year, he put up 8.0 WAR. Since the trade, none of the players the Yankees traded, over multiple seasons, has been able to accumulate 8.0 WAR total - over multiple seasons.

Also, note, the Yankees got Trent Grisham in that trade. He has given the Yankees 4.8 WAR.

That trade was a clear win for the Yankees. Undoubtably and undeniably.

***

Remember, also, the hand-wringing about the Yankees losing Drew Thorpe. He was that year's "can't miss" Yankees pitching prospect.

Let's also remember that the only time the Yankees have been to the World Series in the last quarter century (CORRECTION - last 16 seasons) was when they had Juan Soto.

That's just a fact.

***

Juan Soto has missed many games for the Mets this season. In the time has has played, he has still accumulated 2.9 WAR thus far in 2026.

Believe it or not, Soto's 2.9 WAR would be second on the Yankees behind Cody Bellinger's 3.9 WAR. That's right, no Yankee hitter, other than Bellinger has produced as well as Soto.

Also -

Soto's 17 homers would be second on the team.

Soto's .300 batting average would be first.

Soto's .406 on-base percentage would be first.

Soto's .567 slugging percentage would be first.

Soto's OPS+ of 171 would be first.

***

Let me also put Soto's 8.0 WAR season for the Yankees in perspective.

Since 2013, the only Yankee position player other than Soto to have an 8.0 WAR season is Aaron Judge.

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Here are all of the Yankees WAR of 8.0 or better seasons since their last World Series Championship in 2009:

Aaron Judge = 10.9 (2024)