Hal Steinbrenner said on Tuesday that he was “very disappointed” with the Yankees’ inconsistent play throughout the 2020 season, believing that his team was capable of achieving much more than a five-game exit after facing the Rays in the American League Division Series.
“We invested a lot of time, energy and money into the team last offseason, and we all felt that we had a team that could win a championship,” Steinbrenner told Michael Kay on ESPN New York 98.7 FM. “We failed to do that. We didn’t even come close. At this point in time, all I can do is apologize to our fans. They deserved a better outcome than they got.”
The Yankees’ managing general partner touched upon numerous topics throughout a 20-minute interview, stating definitively that Aaron Boone will return for his fourth season as the Yankees’ manager.
Boone piloted the team to a 33-27 record during the pandemic-shortened campaign, a year after he became the first Major League manager to win 100 or more games in each of his first two seasons. Boone’s contract includes an option for 2021.
“Aaron Boone is a good baseball man. He’s a good leader,” Steinbrenner said. “He has the respect of the players. Aaron Boone will be back next year. That’s just a fact.”
Steinbrenner also said that he is satisfied with the performance of general manager Brian Cashman, who has served in that role since February 1998.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].