The New York Yankees faced a challenging start to their AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox. Manager Aaron Boone made critical pitching decisions during Game 1 that drew scrutiny after the Yankees suffered a 3-1 loss, placing them on the brink of elimination in the best-of-three series.
Boone Defends Bullpen Choices
In the game, Boone initially planned to remove starting pitcher Max Fried after six innings. However, following a double play that left Fried with 99 pitches, Boone opted to keep him in for one more out.
Fried delivered 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only four hits, and throwing 63 of 102 pitches for strikes. The Yankees led 1-0 with a solo home run from Anthony Volpe. Boone defended his decision to extend Fried’s outing, remarking on the pitcher’s command and performance. “He gave us what we needed and felt really good about the outing,” Boone said.
Issues with Bullpen Performance
After Fried, Boone handed the ball to Luke Weaver, who struggled to perform since returning from injury in June. Weaver, who had a 1.05 ERA in his first 24 appearances, has seen that figure balloon to 5.31 over his last 40 games. In this crucial moment, Weaver walked the first batter and subsequently allowed a double and a two-run single to Masataka Yoshida.
- Weaver did not record an out before exiting the game.
- Boston took control of the game with aggressive hitting during Weaver’s appearance.
Weaver reflected on the loss, expressing his disappointment. “I know there’s a lot of disappointed people, including myself, but I just got to be better,” he stated.
Pre-Game Decisions and Missed Opportunities
Boone’s decisions were also questioned before the game. Notably, left-handed hitters Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Ryan McMahon were left out of the lineup against Boston’s lefty starter, Garrett Crochet. The Yankees failed to capitalize on opportunities, particularly in the ninth inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs but could not score, as Aroldis Chapman managed to escape the jam.
New York had scored in 25 of their previous 28 innings when loading the bases under similar circumstances. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who ignited the rally, expressed frustration about the missed chance. “One hit there and we tie the game,” he said, highlighting the Yankees’ struggle.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees will need to regroup quickly as they face the risk of elimination in the next game. Boone faces significant pressure to make the right decisions, particularly concerning his bullpen and lineup strategies. With the team’s bullpen ERA ranking 23rd out of 30 teams, the Yankees must find a way to improve their performances if they hope to advance in the postseason.
