Rays can do a lot of things Yankees can’t, Aaron Boone says

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Are the Tampa Bay Rays outsmarting than the Yankees off the field? Do they make better roster decisions? Do they do a better job of divvying up their small payroll than the Yankees do with their big budget?

Do the Rays do a better job of getting rid of players at the right time? Do they make better trades? Do they draft better?

Do the Rays have a better training staff? Is that why their injured list is so much shorter than the Yankees’ 12-deep IL?

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Are those some of the things that Yankees manager Aaron Boone was alluding to Friday when he said the Rays “can do some things that we can’t?”

That was quite a statement before the Yankees fell further behind the amazing Rays in the AL East standings falling 5-4 at Tropicana Field.

“I’m just saying they can do a lot of things that we can’t do,” Boone said before changing the subject.

The Rays obviously are doing things that the Yankees aren’t. They’re 27-6 and 10 games up on the last-place Yankees.

When Boone was asked again what the Rays do that the Yankees can’t, his answer was a little better but still not detailed.

“I’m just saying it’s not always about money,” Boone said. “Every organization has their challenges. Every organization has their advantages. We always just point to the money part of it, and certainly that’s a big one to consider, both the ability to have payroll or not.

“But it’s just not always just black and white. The bottom line is they have a great organization and know what they’re doing, obviously, but I believe that for us, too.”

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The Rays have made the playoffs four years in a row after missing out while winning 92 games in 2018, and they’re already on their way to making it five straight.

“No real weakness,” Boone said. “They’re doing everything. They’re slugging with the best of them. They’re hitting the ball out of the ballpark. They’re playing defense. They’re athletic. They can pitch. So there’s not an area right now where you’re saying they’re kind of struggling in. They’re covering all the bases right now and off to an historic start.”

Historic indeed.

Since 1900, only five other teams have had 33-game starts as good or better — the 1984 Tigers (28-5), 1902 Pirates (28-5), 1939 Yankees (27-6), 1928 Yankees (27-6) and 1911 Tigers (27-6).

And Boone’s right saying it’s not always about money because the Rays have won 27 of 33 games with a $73.9 million Opening Day payroll (according to USA Today) that was third lowest of the 30 clubs. The Yankees were second at $279.2 million and paying two players more than the Rays’ entire roster, Aaron Judge ($40M) and Gerrit Cole ($36M).

“Very impressive,” Boone said. “I think everyone across Major League Baseball certainly respects (the Rays’) entire operation of what they’re able to do from scouting and development. (Kevin) Cash does a great job (managing) and their coaching staff coaches these guys up.

“Obviously (they’re) making really sound moves of when to be able to move on and finding those diamonds in the rough throughout Major League Baseball that they bring in all while maintaining a top-line farm system that they can always grab people from.

“So I think you’ve got to respect them as one of the more well-run teams certainly in baseball. They do a great job.”

Since 2018, the Rays have a 439-302 record (through Friday) with a 4-4 record in playoff series and one pennant.

The Yankees’ record is slightly better at 444-297, and they’re 4-5 in playoff series and still pennant-less since 2009.

The Rays have been the better franchise so far this season, and it’s not even close. But the Yankees expect to make a run at the division when they can get some of their injured stars off the IL and if they cut down on new health issues, which might be wishful thinking.

“It’s a highly competitive world we live in,” Boone said. “I think we do a really good job, too, and we’re obsessed with being the best and maximizing every part of organization. Sometimes you have successes, you have some failures. You try and learn and grow all the time. I’m confident we do that as much as anyone.”

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Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected].