FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Yankees won 100 regular-season games and finished eight lengths behind the Red Sox in the AL East last year. Then they got kicked out of the postseason by Boston in the ALDS. And in the ultimate baseball indignity, the Yankees watched their blood rivals win the World Series.
So, did the Yankees’ additions during an offseason, in which the Red Sox sat out in regard to acquiring players, help close the gap?
“I don’t necessarily look at it as have we made it up. We know they are a great team and obviously that’s one of the teams we have to go through to get to where we want to go,’’ manager Aaron Boone said prior to the Yankees’ 8-5 loss to the Red Sox Saturday at Jet Blue Park in the first exhibition game of spring training.