What the Aaron Boone extension means for David Ross, Chicago Cubs

In a shocking turn of events, The New York Yankees announced early Tuesday they have extended manager Aaron Boone for three years, with a fourth year club option for 2025. In four years as the skipper, Boone has made the postseason annually, but has won the AL East just once. Although outsiders were publicly and loudly ready for change in the organization, the Yankees clearly have a plan in place and trust that Boone is the guy to take them back to the top.

In a similar situation, David Ross is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, with an club option available for 2023. There have been plenty of rumors of an extension being in the works between the Cubs and Ross, but nothing official has surfaced yet. Ross is currently 105-117 at the helm – although you can’t evaluate him solely on his win-loss record.

That sample size is still pretty small and, like I said, it’s a little unfair to be sellers on Ross as manager – but the argument can certainly be made for the other side of the equation.In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Cubs fell well short of expectations, getting swept at home by the Marlins in the first round of postseason. The bats were cold and there was no fix in sight.

In 2021, the Cubs were under the gun immediately, knowing that the slightest slip-up or hot streak could change how the front office looked at the July deadline. The 11-game losing streak approaching the All-Star break sealed the team’s fate, and Jed Hoyer wasted no time in flipping over almost the entire roster.

Under David Ross, the Chicago Cubs showed fight down the stretch

Even with a cast of then no-names, Ross’ Cubs did seem to hold their own given what he had to work with. The Rizzo, Baez and Bryant jerseys in the stands slowly became Wisdom and Schwindel supporters. The team was not mathematically eliminated from postseason contention until the second week of September, when the wheels really seemed to fall off.

Ross has had a beginning to a managerial career unlike any other, but it seems that the front office is still behind him being the guy and the locker room is too. The Cubs have been very public with letting fans and teams know they have money and will be ready to spend this offseason. If the talent on the field come Opening Day is improved tremendously, I think the pressure will be on for Ross to prove he is the guy for many years to come.

However, in the event of the Cubs fielding a similar looking team as they finished with, I could see Rossy still getting a couple years there after as they continue to search for their new path to the top. Either way, I fully expect Ross to be around for at least three or four more seasons – and hopefully many, many more.