Boone: Expect more class than L.A. if Yanks win

TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that he didn’t like hearing the criticism of his team levied by Los Angeles Dodgers players after they beat the Yankees in last year’s World Series and hoped to “handle things with a little more class” if New York could win its first championship since 2009.

Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor and former reliever Joe Kelly disparaged the Yankees — whose sloppy fifth inning in Game 5 ultimately led to a series-clinching loss — with Kelly calling their shoddy defense and baserunning “well-known” on his podcast and Taylor saying the Yankees “s— down their leg” on teammate Mookie Betts‘ podcast.

“The reality is we didn’t play our best in the series and they won, so they had that right to say whatever,” Boone said. “Hopefully, we’re in that position next year and handle things with a little more class. But the reality is it’s a great team, it’s a great organization with a lot of great people that I happen to know and respect, too. So a few people sounding off isn’t necessarily how I would want to draw it up.”

Boone pointed out that the Dodgers’ stars — Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw — did not publicly roast the Yankees and that “sometimes you’re coming off … winning the world championship and some guys are more inclined to spout off and be a little more colorful than others — and that’s their right. They won. And again, hopefully we’re in that position and do things a little better.”

Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to spring training Tuesday to begin the season after their first World Series appearance since beating Philadelphia in 2009. After losing star outfielder Juan Soto in free agency to the New York Metsthe Yankees guaranteed the third-most money to free agents this winter, $238.4 million, adding left-hander Max Fried and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. They also traded for closer Devin Williams and center fielder Cody Bellinger.

“There’s no running from the fact of losing a player like Juan Soto,” Boone said, “and we all saw how important he was to our club last year, and we did a lot to try and keep him here. I think everyone understands how much we wanted him back. That being said, there’s a lot of ways to build a great team, and I think the moves that we’ve made this offseason give us that chance.”

The key, Boone said, was not losing the hunger he saw early last season.

“You can have a great situation, a great culture, a great closeness about your team, a great professionalism about your team,” Boone said. “I think sometimes the separators where a team that’s good can be great, a team that’s great can be a champion, is that hunger that is not a given even with the best of people and the best of teams. There’s no question in my mind. Last year we had that edge, we had a hunger maybe in part due to coming off the season in which we didn’t make the postseason for the people that experienced that here. I think that showed itself very early in camp, but we got to work at that. That’s not a given.”

Among other issues addressed by Boone:

• “There have been some talks” on a contract extension, the eighth-year manager said. New York picked up an option for 2025 on Boone, who is 603-429 and has led New York to the postseason six of his seven years.

• Right-handed reliever Jake Cousinswho over the final two months of last season was among the Yankees’ best relievers, was shut down because of a forearm strain. The hope, Boone said, was for him to begin throwing again next week, though his absence “could leak into Opening Day.”

• Top prospect Jasson Dominguez is the leading candidate to take over in left field, with Bellinger in center and Aaron Judge shifting from center to right field. Dominguez sat out a large chunk of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery and struggled in 67 plate appearances. “I’d love for him to secure [the left-field job] and grab it,” Boone said, adding that he expects “that he will.”

• The Yankees’ third-base job is wide open as spring training begins, Boone said. With last year’s third baseman, Jazz Chisholm Jr., shifting to second base, the Yankees will try veteran DJ Lemahieu and utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera at third. They are not expected to pursue free agent third baseman Alex Bregman and have not been aggressive yet in pursuit of St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenadowho is available via trade.

• Boone said he spoke with right-hander Marcus Stromanwhom the Yankees spent the winter trying to trade after Fried’s signing pushed him out of New York’s rotation. “It’s maybe a little bit of an awkward situation just with all the noise around it this winter,” Boone said, “but I’m comfortable with where he is in his focus and his physical preparation coming in.”