Yankees’ Boone returns Saturday, ‘feels great’

TAMPA – New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he “can’t believe” the improvement to his health after having surgery Wednesday to implant a pacemaker, and that he would have rejoined the club on Friday if not for COVID protocols.

“I feel great. I can’t believe how good I feel,” Boone said in a videoconference call ahead of the Yankees-Tigers exhibition game Friday at Steinbrenner Field. “It makes me really glad that I got this done because, certainly in the last couple of months, I have not felt anywhere close to how I felt this morning. Really excited about it; excited to get back.”

Boone addressed the media for the first time since taking an immediate medical leave of absence to undergo the procedure after symptoms of lightheadedness, low energy and shortness of breath over several weeks. Further testing indicated he had a low heart rate, necessitating the pacemaker. He underwent surgery on Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and was released Thursday.

The 47-year-old, who had open-heart surgery in 2009, said his heartbeat was “as low as the 30’s,” which was causing complications. The general medical consensus is that the ideal resting heart rate for an adult ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

“Now that I’ve got (the pacemaker) it’s made me realize that I wasn’t feeling good, just energy level, just not myself. I felt like I had to reach for it every day in a way,” Boone said. “And yesterday and even more so today, I just feel kind of ready to go and ready to kind of tackle things. (My cardiologist) said, ‘this will be a pretty straightforward simple procedure, nothing like you’ve been through in the past. And it’ll work right away, you’ll notice it.’ And he was right. I feel great.”

Boone said he planned to rejoin the team as soon as Saturday. Boone, entering his fourth season as manager of the Yankees, said “if not tomorrow, I’m hoping for Sunday.”

The Yankees will travel to Bradenton on Saturday to face the Pittsburgh Pirates, with ace Gerrit Cole, who spent five years in the Pirates organization, on the mound. Their next home game will be Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Bench coach Carlos Mendoza will continue as acting manager until Boone’s return.

“Now it comes down to intaking; making sure COVID-wise I’m good to go,” said Boone, who has to clear COVID protocols before returning to work. “I think I’m ready to be in the dugout, but look, I’m not in any hurry. I feel like I can get a lot done and accomplish a lot just by being there. I have the utmost confidence in our guys. I have so much faith in our coaching staff.”

Boone also said he was extremely grateful and humbled for the “overwhelming” support he had received, not only from the Yankees organization, but also across baseball. He also described the video message his players sent him while he was still at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

“(All position players) were socially distanced, spaced out in their chairs, and Gardy (Brett Gardner) just kind of spoke for everyone. And then everyone just kind of chimed in with some with some smart aleck comments that were good,” Boone said with a laugh. “It meant a lot. One of the great joys of this job is to be around the group I get to be around and get to lead a group of players that in many cases now I’ve been with several years and I have grown to really, really care about and love to see them.”

General manager Brian Cashman said he was astonished to hear from Boone shortly after the procedure.

“I don’t know the exact time of his procedure (Wednesday) afternoon, but in the 7:10pm range, I get a FaceTime. And it’s Aaron Boone,” Cashman said. “I pick up and the energy, how good he looked, the personality was so vibrant. And I’m like, ‘Wow.’

“For him to have to go under, have this procedure, and within an hour or so he’s back up and running as if nothing really happened at all, it was incredible. I know he’s chomping at the bit to get back into that dugout, back into the Yankee uniform. But the greatest thing is that he just feels amazing. The newer version of him, I’m happy for him and happy for his family and happy for us.”