Yankees excited for Little League World Series cameo

DETROIT — Aaron Boone’s 12-year-old Little League team in Southern California never got close to reaching Williamsport, but he eventually got there as an ESPN broadcaster.

So the Yankees manager has an idea of what his players are in for on Sunday — as long as the weather doesn’t get in the way — when the Yankees are set to visit the Little League World Series complex before playing the Tigers in the Little League Classic at Bowman Field.

“Pulling up on it for the first time was amazing,” Boone said Saturday before a 4-0 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park. “Everything I imagined and dreamed of and maybe more. Getting to do that over the years and seeing big league teams come in, it’s a neat experience. I know that our guys will love it.

“Looking forward to that [Sunday], to arriving, getting to rub shoulders with some of the Little League World Series players and hang out with them — obviously you know how excited they’ll be to meet some of our guys. It’s a cool day and something we’re lucky to get to do.”

As long as the weather cooperates, of course.

The forecast in Williamsport calls for storms on Sunday, but at least as of Saturday afternoon, the Yankees were planning to fly there on Sunday morning to mingle with Little League players and then try to get the game in.

If it gets postponed, the teams could fly back to Detroit on Sunday night and play the series finale at Comerica Park on Monday.

Such a scenario would be a headache from a travel perspective for the Yankees, but Boone was confident his players would enjoy making the cameo at the Little League World Series.

“I just know from my experience and knowing what we’re walking into that they’ll love it,” Boone said. “I’ve talked to [Aaron Judge] a little bit about it, I know he’s looking forward to it. These kids are going to be in awe obviously of some of our guys, especially Aaron and Juan [Soto] and Giancarlo [Stanton] and Gerrit [Cole]. But they’ll walk away excited about the experience.”