Boone’s moves in Game 1 draw a lot of criticism

LOS ANGELES – A day later, the debate and criticism have not subsided.

Following the Yankees’ 6-3 loss to the Dodgers after 10 innings in Game 1 of the World Series, one topic dominated Friday night: Aaron Boone’s decision to pitch to left-hander Nestor Cortez, who had not pitched since September. He pitched in the 18th with a sprained pitching elbow flexor in the 10th over fellow left-hander Tim Hill, who has pitched admirably in seven appearances this postseason.

After Shohei Ohtani fouled out on his first pitch and drew an intentional walk to Mookie Betts, Cortez allowed a grand slam to Freddie Freeman on his first pitch, handing the Yankees one of their most disappointing postseason losses in years.

Boone defended the decision after the game and again before Game 2 on Saturday night, although he said he thought long and hard about another element of the 10th inning.

“The biggest question is whether I send Weaver back to third,” he said of closer Luke Weaver, who recorded five straight strikeouts after coming on with one out in the eighth inning. “That’s the one I was picking on.”

Of two other decisions that drew a lot of criticism – eliminating efficient Gerrit Cole in the seventh after 88 pitches and moving to Cortez – Boone said, “I’d double down” on them.

After Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled in the top of the ten, stole second and third and scored on Anthony Volpe’s groundout, the Yankees took a 3–2 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Boone sent Jake Cousins ​​into the 10th and the right-hander retired Will Smith on a flyout before walking Gavin Lux and allowing a Tommy Edman single.

Boone prepared Cortez and Hill in the bullpen. When Ohtani appeared, Boone singled out Cortez, against whom the DH was 2-for-12 (two singles).

The move paid immediate dividends when Ohtani fouled out and left back Alex Verdugo made a stunning running shot before flipping into the stands. With Verdugo out by rule, both runners were promoted to second and third. After an intentional walk to Betts, Freeman swung at a fastball that Cortez said was about two or three inches lower than he wanted to end the game.

“The reality is he’s been throwing the ball really well the last few weeks because he’s been ready to do it,” Boone said of Cortez, who pitched a series of simulated games in the two weeks leading up to the World Series. “I knew that with one of them it would be difficult to double Shohei (who has stolen 59 bases this season) if Tim Hill (who throws a lot of sinkers) put him on the ground, and then Mookie behind him would be a difficult matchup. there. So I felt guilty along with Nestor in this place.”

The manager of one of the American League’s rivals, although he understood the rationale behind the move, felt that the Yankees had gone overboard.

“I always say that management is as simple as, ‘If I bring Tim Hill here and we lose, does anyone doubt it?’ If I bring Cortez, will anyone doubt it? he said on Saturday. “Just doing the obvious is often the right answer.”

Although not to the same extent as the Cortez move, the decision to pull Cole after he allowed a leadoff single in the seventh also came under scrutiny. And it was the former Yankees legend who led the charge, at least in the immediate aftermath.

“Gerrit Cole dominated this game. He dominated the game. And if you strike him out after 88 pitches, I don’t know for what reason,” Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, Boone’s 2003 Yankees teammate, said on the Fox Sports postgame show. “I just think when you have someone who acts like Gerrit Cole did tonight, you have to leave him there as long as possible.”

Boone, without going into detail, said he didn’t think twice about the call, indicating that Cole expressed his fatigue in his own way.

“He’s done,” Boone said. “You’ll just have to take my word for it.”