Will Aaron Boone Be Fired If Yankees Lose to Rays in ALDS? ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Weighs In

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith stated on First Take that he believes New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be fired if the team loses to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. The comments follow growing scrutiny over the Yankees' postseason struggles, particularly their difficulty winning road playoff games despite regular postseason appearances under Boone.

Writer TJ French notes that the Yankees front office appears content with Boone remaining manager beyond the 2026 season. However, French argues that accountability for New York's offensive shortcomings—especially without Aaron Judge in the lineup to support bats like Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Ben Rice—may ultimately fall on the manager.