Steinbrenner Blames Yankees Players for Playoff Exit

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner blamed the team’s players, particularly the offense, for the club’s failure to win a championship, while defending manager Aaron Boone and backing general manager Brian Cashman at the team’s end-of-season news conference Wednesday. The Yankees were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game Division Series after sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. Steinbrenner said the players had not met expectations in the playoffs and that the offense played a significant role in the team falling short. He said Boone managed well, especially with the pitching staff, and rejected the idea that the manager was chiefly responsible for the postseason exit. Cashman said he had agreed to a new contract with the Yankees and that the two sides were working through final details. Steinbrenner also described the agreement as being finalized. No terms were announced. Cashman has been the team’s general manager since 1998. Steinbrenner said Boone would return for the 2027 season, the final year of his current contract. He said the Yankees had not discussed an extension, though the organization had reviewed Boone’s performance after the season....