Say what you may, but the New York Yankees this season have one of the deepest bullpens they’ve had since 2018. But lately, you wouldn’t know it by the way Aaron Boone has been running things around. It’s like every night there is another head scratcher and a new move that feels less like strategy and more like sabotage. And Wednesday night with the Minnesota Twins was no different for them. And it cost them a game; they very badly had to win in the Wild Card race.
Every game of theirs has a head-scratcher; this time, it had everything to do with Cam Schlitter. So he was matching Joe Ryan pitch for pitch, and through five innings, he kept the hitters guessing. He allowed just one run on two hits and struck out six. He threw eighty-six pitches, and most managers would let him start the sixth to see if he could steal more outs, right?
But Boone, surprising as ever, pulled him just like that. Instead of going to any of his well-rested arms like Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, David Bednar, or more, he went to the only reliever who pitched the day before, Yerry De Los Santos. And yes, you guessed right—it backfired, and he gave up three runs without an out, and the Yankees didn’t bounce back.
Jun 22, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) walks off the field after being ejected in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
The hosts on Locked on Yankees didn’t hold back; they were flabbergasted, saying, “For some reason, Cam Schlitler, who was pitching unbelievably well, is taken out of the game after the fifth inning with 86 pitches because I don’t know. I’ve been trying to come up with a reason for the last two hours, and I don’t have a reason for you. It makes absolutely no sense to me. I don’t get it. I don’t understand it. He was dominating the Twins lineup, I’m sure. Yeah, he had a tough fifth inning.” But then came the real kicker—they think Boone knew that the post-game questions would be about that weird decision, so he started or took the conversation in a completely different direction.
That something else was the news of Paul Goldschmidt. Boone revealed that Goldschmidt had injured his knee in Tuesday’s game, which is why he wasn’t able to pinch-hit in a big spot for the team. Brian McKeon from Locked on Yankees said, “Um, because he knew the first question was going to be about the idiotic bullpen decision that he made. So he tried to deflect by going with Oh yeah, our first baseman’s hurt. So thank you for that.” That injury sure is true, but the timing kind of feels convenient, doesn’t it? But really, will covering the misstep help Boone and the Yankees right now? Now, even insiders are calling for the New York Yankees to remove Boone from the hot seat.
Chris Russo says the Yankees made a historic mistake choosing Boone
Chris Russo is a sports voice who carries a lot of weight, and he didn’t hold back when talking about the Yankees’ trajectory. He said in particular that the Yanks’ decision to keep Boone as a manager and pass over Terry Francona was not a bad call but a “historic mistake,” in his own words. His argument is simply that Francona had the resume and the presence, and he could thrive in the high-pressure and bright lights of New York. He is the guy who broke the Red Sox’s 86-year-old curse, after all!
Remember that 2004 World Series? He later also turned the Guardians into a consistent playoff contender. He has might, and he can make those tough calls when needed and still keep the players. Boone and his recent fiasco of saving Williams have become a topic of discussion, meanwhile. Hence, it’s no surprise that Russo sees Boone as someone “too soft.” As someone who was a front office messenger and then a decision maker.
Ever since he took over the New York Yankees in 2018, he managed to take the Yankees to the playoffs—but what about the main deal—the rings? He has none to show for it. The same issues keep coming up, from strategy to errors, and the team falls apart at the right time. Russo also didn’t mince words and mentioned that, in his view, the big decisions are coming from the executive and not Boone. Well, for now, there are no signs that the Yankees are looking for a new manager. But if they don’t even make it to the playoffs this season, then maybe Hal Steinbrenner needs to make decisions even he wouldn’t want to make.
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