In baseball, managers often end up taking the blame when their teams hit a slump. And the Yankees might be a perfect example of a situation where a new voice in the clubhouse is badly needed. Aaron Boone, who’s been at the helm since 2018 after Joe Girardi was let go, is now the fifth-longest tenured manager in the majors. And eight years in, he’s still running the dugout despite years of fans calling for change. This season, though, feels different, and worse.

The Yankees were rolling early, sitting at 35-22 by the end of May, but since then, they’ve stumbled badly. They’re gone 34-38 and slipping to third place in the AL East. Currently, the Yankees are standing third behind the Red Sox and Blue Jays with a 73-60 record. That too, after their late surge, winning 7 out of their last 10 games. But is that enough to achieve the October dream and save the job for Boone and the Yankees GM Brian Cashman?

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal has an update that might not serve the Boone loyalists.

“What happens if they miss the playoffs? Unlikely, but what happens? More likely they could get knocked out early….. Does Aaron Boone come back? Does Brian Cashman come back? Or do they finally turn the page? All of these seemingly in play,” Rosenthal hinted about the probabilities with the Yankees in a podcast with Foul Territory.

Well, currently the Yankees are trailing the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card race, sitting in the second spot. And if they somehow miss the bus to get into the Playoffs this year,  it will be an addition to the otherwise ordinary-looking resume of Boone and Cashman.

Boone’s career as the Yankees’ manager doesn’t look as bad as it seems to be. Season by season, Boone’s Yankees has produced several strong campaigns. Notably, his first two years brought back-to-back 100-win seasons in 2018 and 2019, but both ended short of a World Series berth. Yes, Boone is yet to get his hands on the World Series ring, but this year, even his regular-season brilliance is going for a toss.

Moreover, this year, Boone’s decision-making has often been a point of debate, especially regarding player usage during slumps. One recurring criticism is his tendency to stick with struggling players in the lineup, such as Anthony Volpe. And guess what, Volpe is yet to offer the desired performance on the field.

So, amid this chaos, calls are rising to fire Boone and Cashman. And rumor mills are on overdrive mode to suggest the probable names to replace Boone.

The Yankees are getting bombarded with new names

Well, there are several names surrounding the Yankees as the potential bid to replace Boone. And the leading and perhaps the most famous name? Eric Chavez, the Mets’ hitting coach! Yes, you heard that right, Fansided’s Jake Elman suggested Chavez as the best alternative to Boone. But if you remember, Chavez got his own history with the Yankees.

Reportedly, as a player, Chavez played for the Yankees in 2011-12, hitting .274 and 18 HRs! However, his stint with the Yankees also comes with an unwanted record. A hitless stint in 16 at-bats during the 2012 postseason!

Chavez was even selected as the Yankees’ assistant hitting coach back in 2021, just two weeks before he got poached by the Mets as their main hitting coach. So, do you think Chavez’s homecoming would do any good for the Yankees? Well, this question is largely unanswered, as the question that if the Yankees would find success by firing Boone.

The Yankees are one of the few teams that have been battered by injuries. For instance, Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil were sidelined. Giancarlo Stanton just returned to the batter’s box after a long stint in the IL. And there’s the long list of struggling names, especially from the bullpen. As said by the former Yankees legend, Jorge Posada, “So it’s not his fault that some guys are not playing at their potential.“

But baseball business runs on outcome, and when you are in New York, postseason success determines the future.