Mariano Rivera says he would keep Aaron Boone as the New York Yankees’ manager and that remarks he made earlier this week were taken out of context.
The Hall of Fame reliever told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was speaking generically about teams and managers when he answered questions Tuesday during a videoconference session with Panamanian business executives.
“I said when a team like this, the New York Yankees, is expected to win, the season that they had, and they don’t make it to the end, always the manager is the one that always ends up paying,” Rivera said during a telephone interview with the AP.
“Although the manager doesn’t hit, the manager doesn’t pitch, the manager doesn’t run, the manager doesn’t do nothing but manage and make sure everybody’s ready to play, unfortunately they never fire the whole team, they always fire the manager,” he said. “I was giving a generic estimation. And obviously they took it out of context.”
Rivera said he does not advocate for a manager switch: “I don’t have to change. Who I am to say?”
During Tuesday’s videoconference, a recording of which was posted online by ESPN, Rivera said in Spanish: “If I’m the owner, he wouldn’t stay. … Obviously all blame points at the manager, but players also have to do their job. … Sometimes when things don’t come out the way we want them to be, the blame falls on the manager. And someone has to pay for the blame, the players won’t get fired. The manager is the one that always gets fired. You try to do something to try fix things.”
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said Wednesday he plans to have Boone return for a sixth season as manager.
Rivera retired after the 2013 season and a 19-year big-league career, all with the Yankees.
He said he was asked three questions, the first involved whether Aaron Judge should stay with the Yankees and the second whether Judge should become captain, the first since Derek Jeter.
“I’m a Yankee for life and he should be a Yankee,” Rivera said. “He has to make it own decision. But if it was me, I want him on my team. And then captain, that’s a privilege that you have to earn. And I remember when they named Derek captain of the team, we all were content in the news, but at the same time it’s a lot a work. Thank God that we were there for Derek to help him.”
BREWERS: David Stearns is stepping away from his role as the president of baseball operations, saying he just needs a break and isn’t thinking about taking a job with any other organization.
Stearns will remain with the Brewers in an advisory role to owner Mark Attanasio. Matt Arnold, who has been the Brewers’ senior vice president and general manager since 2020, takes over the lead role in overseeing baseball operations.
• The Milwaukee Brewers signed right-hander J.C. Mejia to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to their major-league spring training camp.
Mejia, 26, briefly pitched for the Brewers this past season but received an 80-game suspension in May after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol, a synthetic steroid derived from testosterone.
He made two appearances for the Brewers before the suspension and allowed six runs over 2 1/3 innings for a 23.14 ERA.
Mejia also pitched 24 games for the Brewers’ Triple-A Nashville affiliate and posted an 0-3 record with a 2.76 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked 13 in 29 1/3 innings.
The Brewers acquired Mejia from Cleveland in November 2021. He went 1-7 with an 8.25 ERA in 17 appearances for Cleveland in 2021.
BLUE JAYS: Outfielder George Springer had surgery this week to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.
Springer, 33, skipped the All-Star Game in July because of pain in his elbow, and later sat out 10 days in August. The team said he is expected to be ready for spring training.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas.
A four-time All-Star and MVP of the 2017 World Series with Houston, Springer signed a six-year, $150 million contract with Toronto before the 2021 season.
Springer had to stay in Toronto for several days after the Blue Jays were swept out of the playoffs because he suffered a concussion in a Game 2 loss to Seattle. The Blue Jays couldn’t hold an 8-1 lead in that game, losing 10-9.
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