On Friday, the New York Yankees made the decision to release starting pitcher Marcus Stroman before his next start, in anticipation of Luis Gil returning to the team on Sunday.

This decision comes shortly after the Yankees didn’t add any starting pitching at the trade deadline. It shows the front office is confident in the five-man rotation of Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Gil, Will Warren, and Cam Schlitter moving forward. The decision ultimately came down to releasing Stroman or optioning Schlitter, and the Yankees chose to cut ties with the veteran.

Still, that didn’t stop manager Aaron Boone from voicing his opinion on the matter.

“The [public] perception around Stro, for us, did not meet the guy we got to be around for the last couple years. He’s an awesome competitor. … I feel like he’s a guy I’ll stay in touch with for the rest of our lives,” Boone said in regard to the Stroman news, per Yankees insider Bryan Hoch.

Boone typically has close relationships with his players. There’s a reason why the clubhouse seems to love him, yet the fans and media can’t stand him.

Boone always seems to have his players’ backs. This even stems beyond a player’s time with the Yankees.

While the fans may not have liked Stroman the player, it’s impossible to deny his passion and love for the game. He may not pitch like the Stroman of old anymore, but the fire within him still seems to burn, and Boone made good note of that.

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