Aaron Boone ‘heartbroken’ after Yankees come up short in World Series

Aaron Boone paused for a moment.
Fresh off of his Yankees’ season-ending loss to the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series, the manager was asked how he felt after coming so close to his first championship.
“I mean, I’m heartbroken,” Boone said with emotion in his voice.
“It doesn’t take away my pride of what that room means to me and what that group forged this year and what we’ve been through to get here, but I’m heartbroken. I’m heartbroken for those guys that poured so much into this. The ending is cruel. It always is.”
Wednesday’s 7-6 loss in the Bronx completed Boone’s seventh season as the Yankees’ manager. He spent 12 seasons as an MLB player, including in 2003 with the Yankees.
Boone’s walk-off home run against the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS remains among the most iconic moments in MLB history, but the Yankees lost that World Series in six games to the Miami Marlins.
On Wednesday, Boone said he can still visualize the Marlins celebrating their championship on the Yankee Stadium field, describing it as “one of the most painful moments that I’ve experienced.”
“I haven’t had that feeling of celebrating and going home, like many of the guys in there,” Boone said. “I’m 51. I poured my life into that. You’re chasing that, and when you get that close, it’s heartbreaking.”
The brother, son and grandson of former MLB players, Boone boasts a 603-429 record in his seven seasons as the Yankees manager. The Yankees finished with an American League-best 94-68 record this season and made the playoffs for the sixth time under Boone.
Boone previously led the Yankees to the ALCS in 2019 and 2022, but this year’s berth in the World Series marked his first time there since his lone trip as a player more than two decades ago.
“He’s a guy that every single person in this room will run through a wall for,” Yankees star Aaron Judge said Wednesday of Boone.
“The culture we have here, the special something that we have going on here, it starts with him at the top. We wouldn’t be in this position, we wouldn’t have the guys that we brought in fit in so well, if it wasn’t for a manager like him to bring all of us together. I think he’s so emotional because he loves every single guy in this room.”
The Yankees have a club option for Boone for the 2025 season. Earlier this week, Boone said he had not discussed his contract with the team. He could sign an extension, as he did after the 2021 season.
“He’s steady Eddie for us,” Yankees ace Gerrit Cole said. “Such a personable, lovable human being. We’re all heartbroken. He’s feeling it. We’re feeling it. Just a tough night.”
Boone’s grandfather, Ray Boone, won the 1948 World Series with Cleveland. His father, Bob Boone, won the 1980 title with the Phillies.
Boone’s 603 wins are the seventh most among Yankees managers. His .584 winning percentage ranks sixth in franchise history among managers who spent at least three seasons with the team.
“Boonie’s the man,” Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton said. “I know how much he cares for all of us and what he puts into this. It sucks all around, and especially for him.”