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Aaron and Bret Boone Renew the Boone Bowl Rivalry in Yankees vs. Rangers Showdown
May
New York – For the first time in over two decades, the legendary Boone Brothers will face off once again as the New York Yankees take on the Texas Rangers in a thrilling three-game series at Yankee Stadium this week.
Back in 2005, Bret Boone and his younger brother Aaron Boone were seasoned players, representing the third generation of a storied baseball family. Today, Aaron is in his eighth season as the Yankees’ manager, while Bret recently joined the Rangers’ coaching staff, marking his third week in his new role.
To celebrate this rare reunion, the brothers shared dinner on Monday, their first meeting since Christmas in San Diego.
“Honestly, it felt new to me,” said Bret Boone, 56. “He actually picked up the tab last night.”
Bret had no prior Major League coaching experience before the Rangers unexpectedly approached him to help boost their struggling offense. He quickly accepted and took over as coach on May 5, just days after the team fired their offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker.
At that time, the Rangers, who were just under two years removed from a World Series appearance, ranked last in the American League in scoring. However, since Bret took over, the Rangers have improved significantly, climbing to seventh place in the league as of May 6.
“Bret brings a unique perspective,” said Bruce Bochy, Rangers’ manager who previously managed Bret with the San Diego Padres in 2000. “He introduced fresh ideas and brought new energy. He has done a great job bonding with the players and fitting right in.”
Though the brothers are four years apart, they never officially played against or alongside each other in Major League Baseball games but did have plenty of sibling rivalry growing up.
“We used to box as kids,” Aaron recalled. “I was about 6 years old and he was 10. I managed to get a hit on him once, which made him upset, and I started crying. He told me, ‘No crying, we’ll get in trouble.’ Looking back, I wonder what trouble we could’ve gotten into.”
The last time the Boone brothers faced each other on the MLB field was on April 24, 2005. Bret, in his 14th and final season, started at second base for the Mariners and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a sacrifice fly. Aaron started at third base for Cleveland, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run off Jamie Moyer.
Aaron, now 52, played until 2009 before transitioning into coaching. He was hired as the Yankees’ manager eight years later and has since led the team to multiple postseason appearances, including the 2024 World Series. Aaron currently holds a career winning percentage of .554.
“It’s strange for me,” Bret said. “He was always the younger brother, but now he’s the Yankees’ manager, and people are calling me ‘Aaron’s older brother.’ I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished.”
Before Tuesday’s game, the brothers exchanged team lineup cards, shared laughs with the umpiring crew, and posed for photos together. But once the game starts, it’s all business.
“I’m sure I’ll be sneaking a few glances to see how he’s doing out there,” Aaron joked.
