The Yankees – and their fans – got their first taste of facing the Astros since the sign-stealing scandal became public when Houston visited last month, and the crowd made its presence felt.
When the Yankees open their series against the Red Sox Friday at Yankee Stadium, manager Alex Cora will make his first return to The Bronx since his role in the scandal as Astros bench coach came to light, leading to his firing in Boston before the 2020 season. An MLB investigation also found the Red Sox illegally stole signs in 2018 – but cleared Cora, whom the Red Sox rehired in November, of any wrongdoing in that situation.
“Having him in the dugout obviously makes me want to beat them more,” Brett Gardner said with a smile, later saying he was “halfway joking.”
Aaron Boone, who is friends with Cora, said he’s glad to see Cora back in the dugout.
“I am,” Boone said. “I think he’s really good at what he does. I know he paid a significant price, but he’s one of the really good managers out there.”
Boone added Cora has “created a culture. They’re a team that really pays close attention to details. He sees the game really well. He’s fearless… I think his players certainly reflect that and play with confidence. He kind of sets that tone for them on a daily basis.”