Report: Aaron Boone Could Emerge As Candidate For Padres Manager Job
Speculation for Aaron Boone's future has begun.
The Yankees manager may return on a new contract this offseason, sticking around in the Bronx for the foreseeable future. If he departs, however, a club on the West Coast might attempt to bring him in as their new skipper.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, rumors are swirling that Boone would be a "viable candidate" to take over as the San Diego Padres next manager if he leaves the Yankees.
New York has yet to announce their intentions with Boone. The 48-year-old led the Yankees to the postseason in each of his four seasons at the helm, posting a 328-218 record in the regular season along the way. In fact, his .601 regular season winning percentage is seventh all-time among those that have managed at least 450 games.
READ: Yankees Manager Aaron Boone ‘At Peace’ With Uncertain Future
When the calendar flips to October, however, Boone has struggled. He has an 11-11 record in the playoffs after New York's loss to the Red Sox in the Wild Card Game last week.
That said, Boone has faced his fair share of adversity along the way. He's dealt with historic levels of injuries and extreme inconsistencies from the star-studded rosters he's been in charge during his tenure in the Bronx.
After all, it seems like those in pinstripes (from general manager Brian Cashman down to the players) have Boone's back and hope to see him in uniform next season.
"I could spend all night giving you reasons why he should still be the manager," right fielder Aaron Judge said following the Wild Card Game.
For San Diego, the Padres fired manager Jayce Tingler after a disappointing campaign. Tingler served as San Diego's skipper for two years, but it was his first gig as a big-league manager. Perhaps adding someone like Boone, who now has ample experience in a big market while managing stars and lofty expectations, would be a good fit.
After all, he wouldn't be the first coach to transition from New York to San Diego. Larry Rothschild also made that same transition, working as the Padres' pitching coach for the last two years after serving in the same role in the Bronx.
Rothschild met a similar fate to Tingler, though, as he was fired in August.
Only time will tell if the Yankees elect to part ways with Boone and go in another direction. If he does become a free agent on the managerial market, San Diego certainly makes sense as a possible suitor.
Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
