The New York Yankees are in the thick of a critical stretch in their season, but their manager, Aaron Boone, is catching fire for all the wrong reasons. Former Yankees prospect Clint Frazier didn’t hold back, publicly slamming Boone for what he sees as a baffling misstep—attending a college football game in North Carolina while the team faces a make-or-break moment in the playoff race.
On Sunday, Frazier took to X to call out his former skipper after ABC 11’s Sean Coffey posted a pregame video from the North Carolina-TCU football game in Chapel Hill. The clip showed Boone in the crowd, casually watching as former NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick made his college debut in a 48-14 loss to TCU. Coffey’s caption read, “Aaron Boone sighting at the Belichick debut in Chapel Hill,” but Frazier’s response was far less cheerful.
Embed X: https://twitter.com/clintfrazier/status/1962692570586198030
“Biggest two week stretch of the season and this dude is at a football game with his hoodie tied around his waist,” Frazier fired off in his post, dripping with sarcasm and frustration. His point? With the Yankees locked in a tight race, Boone’s decision to jet off to a college football game was a questionable look at best.
And Frazier’s not wrong. The Yankees are currently tied with the Boston Red Sox for second place in the American League East, just two and a half games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays. Both New York and Boston sit atop the AL Wild Card standings, but the road ahead is brutal. Starting Tuesday, the Yankees face a gauntlet of games that could define their season: a three-game series in Houston against the first-place Astros, followed by a crucial homestand against the Blue Jays and the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. After that, they’ll head to Fenway Park to battle a Red Sox team that has already won the season series against them. With the postseason hanging in the balance, Boone’s North Carolina detour isn’t exactly screaming “all hands on deck.”
This isn’t the first time Frazier has taken aim at Boone and the Yankees’ front office. Just last month, the 30-year-old outfielder unleashed a scathing critique on his podcast, targeting both Boone and general manager Brian Cashman. “When Cashman comes out and gives support to Boone, lowkey, I kind of feel like that’s self-preservation,” Frazier said. “I know his resume is insane, but when he gives the confidence boost to Boone, I was saying ‘he’s got to, because Booney is the frontline of defense for him. I brought this guy in, and I have to support him, because he’s my guy.’ Boone is Cashman’s shadow a little bit.” Ouch.
Frazier’s history with the Yankees adds fuel to his fiery remarks. Acquired from Cleveland in the 2016 Andrew Miller trade, Frazier debuted with New York in 2017 and showed flashes of brilliance at the plate. However, injuries, including a concussion, derailed his potential, and the Yankees released him after the 2021 season. He later played for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, last appearing in the majors in 2023. Over seven MLB seasons, Frazier hit .235 with 29 home runs in 280 games. Now, he’s using his platform to call out what he sees as dysfunction in the Yankees’ leadership.
Boone’s trip to Chapel Hill may have been a brief escape from the pressures of managing in the Bronx, but the optics are undeniably rough. As the Yankees fight to secure a postseason spot, Frazier’s pointed criticism has sparked a fresh wave of scrutiny. Is Boone’s leadership faltering at a critical moment, or is this just a former player airing old grudges? One thing’s for sure: with a daunting schedule ahead, all eyes will be on Boone to prove he’s focused on the task at hand—because the Yankees’ playoff hopes depend on it.