ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Boone is aware that there’s no guarantee he will be back in the Yankees’ dugout next season and that there’s significant criticism of the job he has been doing with his last-place team.
He insisted on Friday, though, that none of that will impact how he approaches the rest of the season.
Asked if he believed there was anything he could do the rest of this season to ensure that he’s back next year, Boone said: “I don’t know. If there is or isn’t, it doesn’t change anything for me. I’m going to keep preparing and working the same way.”
He will enter the offseason with just one year remaining on the three-year contract he signed after the 2021 season.
General manager Brian Cashman made it clear during his press conference at the Stadium on Wednesday that all jobs — including his own and Boone’s — would be evaluated following what the GM called a “disastrous” season.
Cashman said of Boone’s performance this season, “I think [Boone] is doing everything he can possibly do, just like all of us.”
“I can’t worry about any of that stuff because it’s out of my control,’’ Boone said Friday of speculation and uncertainty about his job security before the Yankees beat the Rays at Tropicana Field, 6-2, after they had lost 10 of their previous 11 games.
“I try to have perspective on things and just do the work,” Boone said. “I try to separate certain things and I think I do that better than most.”
The losing, though, has taken a toll on the manager.
“It’s tough because of the competition part of it,’’ Boone said. “We’re trying to win and we’re pouring everything we have into this. We have a lot riding on it and when it doesn’t work, it’s hard.”
The vocal criticism from fans and media don’t tend to land much with him, Boone said, particularly during bad stretches.
“Especially when we’re struggling, I see very little,’’ Boone said. “I’m not reading as much; I don’t turn the TV on.”
Boone added he’s somewhat “more plugged in” when the Yankees are playing well.
“I don’t necessarily read a lot of stuff when things are good, but I’ll watch the MLB Network and stuff like that,’’ Boone said. “I’m not reading my Twitter [mentions] then, either. I’m just focused on the work.”
This season has been different.
“It hurts a little bit more when it’s going like this,’’ Boone said.