In the aftermath of Game 1, Aaron Boone found himself questioning a crucial decision he made during the match. It wasn’t about pulling Gerrit Cole after 88 pitches or bringing in a recovering Nestor Cortes to face the Dodgers’ best hitters. Instead, Boone was reflecting on whether he should have left Luke Weaver in the game longer.
During the eighth inning of Game 1, Boone entrusted the ball to Weaver, who managed to get two outs but allowed the tying run to score. Boone then pondered if he should have let Weaver pitch a third inning. This decision became more critical as Game 2 unfolded and Weaver wasn’t utilized.
Boone’s choice to bring in Jake Cousins to face the Dodgers’ batters didn’t pan out as planned. Cousins walked Gavin Lux and allowed a crucial single to Tommy Edman, setting the stage for Cortes to enter the game. While Cortes managed to retire Shohei Ohtani, an intentional walk to Mookie Betts loaded the bases, leading to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam.
Boone defended his decision to use Cortes, believing he had a better chance at striking out Ohtani than other pitchers available. However, Boone was less forthcoming about his call to remove Cole from the game after he allowed a run on four hits in six-plus innings.
The decision to stick with the same lineup for Game 2 despite the loss in Game 1 raised questions. Boone maintained the batting order to maximize opportunities for his best hitters, even if it sacrificed some balance. This strategy played into the hands of Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts, who could exploit the platoon advantage more effectively.
Looking ahead, Luis Gil will take the mound for Game 4 against what seems to be a Dodgers bullpen game. The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler will face Clarke Schmidt in Game 3, a move that sets up Buehler to potentially start a Game 7.
In other news, Aaron Judge received accolades as he was named the overall Player of the Year and AL Outstanding Player in the 2024 Players Choice Awards, beating out top contenders Shohei Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr. These honors were voted on by the players themselves, recognizing Judge’s outstanding performance on the field.
As the series progresses, Boone’s decisions will continue to be scrutinized, and the Yankees will need to regroup to turn the tide in their favor.
