With the New York Yankees preparing for Opening Day, which is right around the corner, there is one myth around the team that general manager Brian Cashman expressed his displeasure with. As the Yankees look ahead to Opening Day to start a hopeful 2026 campaign, Cashman spoke about the one narrative that annoys him.
There appears to be a constant talking point from some in the baseball world who believe Cashman and the front office have major say on the line-up game-by-game. For Cashman, that “irritates the f*** out of me.”
“It irritates the f— out of me,” Cashman said, according to The Athletic. “Because it’s so stupid, it’s so false, but yet people just throw it out willy-nilly. You can’t get the prior two managers or the current manager to testify under oath that they’ve ever been dictated the lineup once in (my tenure).”
The answer to who makes the hitting lineup is manager Aaron Boone, who finds the narrative “laughable.”
“I will unequivocally say that Aaron Boone makes the lineup,” bench coach Brad Ausmus said.
How Yankees' Aaron Boone picks the lineups game-by-game
Looking further into the narratives, one narrative that broadcaster Michael Kay said on his radio show is that Boone mulls over three lineups being his own, the front office's, and Ausmus', and then decides. Boone was quick to shoot that down and explain his mindset in picking the lineup.
“I’m just trying to net different guys that I know are probably going to stay in (the lineup), especially in the middle of the game,” Boone said. “I want to keep them away from a lot of bad matchups or force (the opposing team) into it, if they’re going to take that shot. In a lefty scenario where they’re bringing in a guy aggressively, I have protection where you might have to face (Aaron) Judge or (Giancarlo) Stanton if you want to take that shot.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen if the narrative will continue as the Yankees' Opening Day is on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants.
