LOS ANGELES — Aaron Boone, the manager of the Yankees, has expressed some regret regarding his pitching strategies in the opening game of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ended in a 6-3 defeat after ten innings. However, it appears that his concerns do not lie in the anticipated areas, particularly concerning Nestor Cortes’ performance.
Reflecting on the loss the following day before Game 2, Boone noted that despite the outcome, he would still opt to bring in Cortes during a high-pressure situation in the 10th inning, even though Cortes had not pitched since September 18. Unfortunately, Cortes gave up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman, marking a disappointing return to the mound. Boone indicated that his main area of uncertainty was regarding his choice to not keep Luke Weaver in the game longer.
“I stand by my decision with Nestor. Even after the fact, I believe it was the correct choice with one out,” Boone stated. He elaborated that he questioned whether he should have sent Weaver back out for the third batter. Weaver showcased remarkable performance throughout the postseason, retiring all five batters he faced over 1 2/3 innings. He entered the game in the eighth, where Shohei Ohtani was positioned on third base, but ultimately, a sacrifice fly from Mookie Betts allowed Ohtani to tie the game.
Jake Cousins took over for Weaver in the 10th inning. Cousins managed to register an out but walked Gavin Lux and allowed an infield single to Tommy Edman, prompting Boone to call for Cortes. Weaver’s efficient pitching consisted of only 19 pitches. Boone suggested that had Weaver faced more batters, he might have not been eligible to pitch in the third game set in New York on Monday.
“He’s effective, but obviously, expecting him to get eight outs is a rather significant challenge, even compared to what he has handled this postseason,” Boone remarked.
If there had been two outs when Cousins encountered difficulties, Boone mentioned he would have considered bringing in Tim Hill. Ultimately, he chose Cortes, recalling that Hill is known to pitch to contact, potentially allowing more hits—especially with Ohtani’s past success against sliders, which is Hill’s main pitch. Even though Cortes managed to retire Ohtani and intentionally walked Betts before the grand slam by Freeman, Boone remained steadfast in his decisions.
Additionally, Boone dealt with criticism regarding his choice to remove starting pitcher Gerrit Cole after just 88 pitches. Cole had an impressive outing, surrendering only one run on four hits and securing four strikeouts across six-plus innings.
Derek Jeter, a Yankees legend and commentator for Fox, did not hold back in his critique of Boone’s choice. On Fox’s postgame show, he remarked, “He was dominating the game. Taking him out after 88 pitches for unclear reasons causes a domino effect for not just this game but for tomorrow and the remainder of the series. When a pitcher is performing like Gerrit Cole was, you keep him in for as long as possible.”
Boone defended his decision by explaining that a series of lengthy at-bats with the last six batters Cole faced influenced his decision-making process. He encouraged fans to trust his judgment on why he believed Cole’s time on the mound was complete.
Despite the controversy, Boone reiterated his confidence in Cortes as the series progresses. “He’s a good pitcher. We talked last night. He’s eager to take the mound again,” he concluded.