NY Yankees manager Aaron Boone responds to Blue Jays broadcaster’s harsh criticism before ALDS

The New York Yankees are back in familiar territory — among the final four teams in the American League and ready to chase another pennant. Their latest surge, capped by a sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Series, has reignited their postseason ambitions. But even before the first pitch of the Division Series, controversy found its way into the narrative.

As the Yankees prepare to face the Toronto Blue Jays, remarks from former catcher and current Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez have added extra tension to an already intense matchup. During a September 9 broadcast, Martinez bluntly said, “The Yankees, they’re not a good team. I don’t care what their record is.”

At the time, the Yankees held an 80–64 record. Since those comments, they’ve gone 16–5 — a run that included their Wild Card sweep — giving manager Aaron Boone more than enough reason to push back.

Boone refutes criticism from broadcaster

Speaking to reporters Friday, Aaron Boone directly addressed Martinez’s statement. “Contrary to some thoughts up here, we’re a really good team,” Boone said, according to MLB.com. “I know Buck had some thoughts. That’s all I was responding to. He’s wrong, but it doesn’t matter. We’ve got to go play, and we’ve got to go perform, as everyone does this time of year.”

Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after making a pitching change. (Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

Boone’s measured but firm response reflects the confidence his team carries into the ALDS. Despite Toronto taking eight of 13 regular-season games and winning the season series for the first time since 2021, the Yankees enter the series with renewed momentum and motivation.

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First-ever postseason meeting adds extra fire

The upcoming Division Series marks the first-ever postseason meeting between these two AL East rivals. For fans, the stakes are monumental; for players, the atmosphere promises to be electric.

“I’m sure it will be raucous,” Boone said when asked about the Rogers Centre crowd. “We’ve played in a lot of important regular-season games up here and know how passionate it can get. I would expect that in overdrive tomorrow.”