Joe Torre dons Yankees’ full uniform for first time since he was manager

TAMPA — There was another familiar sight from the old days at Steinbrenner Field on Friday, as Joe Torre was back at Yankees camp, in a full Yankees uniform for the first time since he departed as manager following the 2007 season.

Torre arrived at the request of Aaron Boone, who called him recently while the 83-year-old was in Arizona at Dodgers’ camp, as part of his role as special assistant to the commissioner.

“I looked at my phone, saw it was him and figured it was a butt dial,’’ Torre said. “He was on the other end of the phone and asked me to come out and get in uniform. I said, ‘I’d be happy to come, but I’m not sure about the uniform part.’ ”

Joe Torre dons Yankees’ full uniform for first time since he was manager
Joe Torre, pictured in 2007, donned the full Yankees uniform on Friday for the first time since that season, his last as the team’s manager. Getty Images

But there he was on Friday, in a navy blue jersey with No. 6, pinstripe pants, sitting in the dugout and standing behind the batting cage, alongside Boone.

“I could not be more excited to see No. 6 out there and his presence and what he brings,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 6-2 exhibition loss to the Pirates. “Just to have our guys be around him a little bit. We’re fortunate to have a number of obviously big-time ex-Yankees in with us this spring. Joe certainly headlines that list of guys we’ve had in here. Anything anyone can pick up from Joe, I’m just grateful that he’s given us a few days here.”

Andy Pettitte, who played for Torre, and Ron Guidry and Willie Randolph, who were both on his coaching staff in The Bronx, are both still in camp.

And Boone played for Torre in 2003.

“It’s great coming back to sit with my old coaches and trainers,’’ Torre said. “It’s a nice coming back party.”

Torre said he expected to stick around for four or five days, and his main goal, he said, was to give Boone his space.

“The last thing I want to do is get in the way of Boone doing his job,’’ Torre said. “He gave me free reign here.”

Boone is entering his seventh season as Yankee manager, barely half as long as Torre spent in the job.

“I understand the pressure he’s under, but that’s a part of it,’’ Torre said. “You know that going in, so I root for him.”

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