Aaron Boone reacts to Yankees owner saying they must add pitching

by Felix Pantaleón

Yankees manager Aaron Boone reacts to owner Hal Steinbrenner saying that the team needs to add better starting pitching before the MLB trade deadline at July’s end.

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NEW YORK — Part of the reason Yankees manager Aaron Boone got his job this offseason was because he’s a smooth communicator and good at talking on the fly. It comes naturally to him, but it was also a skill honed over seven years as an ESPN baseball analyst.

So when Boone was asked if he agreed with owner Hal Steinbrenner, who said earlier in the day the Yankees need to add better starting pitching, the manager answered it the way he knows best: diplomatically.

“Well, Hal reminds me of the same thing all the time,” Boone said after another Yankees starting pitcher faltered in a 5-4 loss to the Nationals at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

Here’s what Steinbrenner had said:

“I think there’s definitely a need. It’s definitely one of the areas we’re going to be looking at. And we’ve got some flexibility payroll-wise, as you know. The question is, what’s going to be available and what are the asks?”

Steinbrenner made it clear the Yankees have the payroll space to add pitching.

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Righty Sonny Gray, after two strong outings, labored again, giving up four earned runs in five innings. He’s 4-4 with a 4.98 ERA — the worst in the rotation.

The Yankees may also be without Masahiro Tanaka for weeks as he rehabs two strained hamstrings. Jordan Montgomery had Tommy John surgery last week and might not pitch in the majors again until 2020.

While Luis Severino has been a stud, CC Sabathia has been just mostly good and Domingo German has had his ups and downs filling in for Montgomery.

“I know (Steinbrenner) and his family and this organization is always going to do everything they can to improve our team, especially when the time is right,” Boone said.

“So I know between him and (general manager) Brian (Cashman) and the front office they’re working overtime right now to try and figure out how to improve our team in any way. It’s that time of year and we’re the Yankees, so we’re going to be working hard at it.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.