The New York Yankees don’t just have an injury problem with Aaron Judge—they have a leadership problem. For the second time this month, the franchise cornerstone openly contradicted and undermined his manager, Aaron Boone, this time in response to Boone’s morning radio tour on WFAN and Jomboy Media’s Talkin’ Yanks.
According to The Athletic, Boone told both outlets that Judge is unlikely to throw normally again this season as he continues to battle a flexor strain in his right arm. His exact words: “I don’t think we’re going to see him back to throwing like he normally does at any point this year.” That’s about as blunt as it gets, and it painted a grim picture of the Yankees’ hopes of having Judge back in the outfield before October.
But Judge wasn’t having it. When asked about Boone’s remarks, the captain fired back. “I don’t know why he said that. He hasn’t seen me throwing the past two weeks. So, I’m pretty confident I’ll get back to that.”
That wasn’t just clarification. That was a direct rebuke of Boone’s authority, a public swipe at the one man who is supposed to control the messaging inside the clubhouse.
A Boiling Point Between Captain and Manager
Earlier this month, Judge also dismissed one of Boone’s assessments about the team’s offensive struggles, implying Boone wasn’t accurately portraying what was happening behind the scenes. Now, in the midst of a playoff race, Judge is again saying not to trust his manager’s account of his health.
That’s a crisis.
The Yankees can spin this however they want—that Judge is being competitive, that Boone is being cautious, that everyone is “on the same page.” But fans and the media aren’t stupid. This is the second public contradiction between captain and manager in three weeks. It’s not just a crack in the wall; it’s a gaping hole that invites questions about Boone’s control over the clubhouse and his credibility outside it.
Remember, Judge isn’t some fringe player questioning the narrative. He’s the face of the franchise, the captain, and the only thing keeping Yankee Stadium from turning into a Bronx zoo of boos most nights. When he pushes back this hard, it carries weight.
The Real Problem: Boone’s Word Means Nothing
Boone has always been known for being overly optimistic in public. But in this case, he wasn’t sugarcoating—he was setting expectations. He told fans not to expect Judge to return to his full defensive self this season. That’s the kind of information managers are supposed to control.
Then, Judge undercut him in less than 24 hours.
It’s one thing for a manager to lose the fanbase. Boone has been there before. It’s another thing entirely to lose his captain. Judge made it clear Boone doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to his recovery. That’s not just miscommunication. That’s distrust.
How are Yankees fans supposed to believe Boone’s injury updates when the best player in the organization is openly calling them inaccurate? How are teammates supposed to rally behind a manager who looks clueless about the health of his superstar?
For years, Boone survived criticism because Judge stayed quiet or supported him. That changed this month, making Boone appear detached from his team.
If there’s any sign of who actually runs the Yankees right now, it’s not Boone. It’s Judge. And for a manager already on thin ice after repeated October failures, that might be the beginning of the end.
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