Fans criticized manager Aaron Boone for using pitcher Nestor Cortes in a high-pressure situation during the New York Yankees’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cortes had been sidelined with a flexor issue in his pitching arm since mid-September but was still included on the roster and called upon to close the 10th inning.
A disastrous collapse followed, as Cortes threw only two pitches: a middle-inside fastball to Shohei Ohtani, which was fouled off, and another middle-inside fastball to Freddie Freeman, who launched it over the wall for the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, following a walk to Mookie Betts that loaded the bases.
Boone was required to defend his choice to include Cortes in the match in a post-game interview with the media.
“I simply enjoyed the matchup,” Boone remarked. In actuality, he has been preparing for this by throwing the ball exceptionally well over the past few weeks.
“I knew that if Tim Hill got Shohei on the ground and Mookie was behind him, it would be difficult to double up Shohei; that’s a tough matchup there.”
“I felt guilty standing there with Nestor.”
Tim Hill, who has only given up one earned run in 5.2 innings of postseason pitching, and Cortes, who hasn’t worked in 37 days, were the two pitchers that Boone had warming up in the bullpen.
However, Boone stated that the decision was influenced by Cortes’ past performance against Ohtani, who went 2-for-12 against the left-handed pitcher during his career.
“Just a bit,” Boone remarked. “I’m not sure if you’ll ever enjoy a matchup with Ohtani, but I thought Nestor could give us a chance.”
At least Cortes succeeded in making the Japanese player appear on the first pitch he saw, which resulted in a stunning catch by Alex Verdugo that sent him flying into the stands.
Mookie Betts was next. Boone opted to walk the Dodgers’ No. 2 hitter for a left-on-left matchup against Freeman, even though Betts had a 0–5 lifetime record against Cortes.
“Yes and no,” Betts responded when asked if the deliberate walk caught him off guard, adding that it “made sense in the flow of the game.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, however, stated that he thought Freeman himself took the deliberate walk.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the World Series as Freeman smashed a first-pitch fastball 409 feet over the fence.
After the defeat, Cortes expressed his hope that his pitch would go “perhaps just two or three inches higher.”
‘I thought it went to the inside portion of the plate where I wanted to, but just didn’t get it up enough,’ he continued.
The Yankees will play Los Angeles in Game 2 on Saturday night in an attempt to make amends.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the bump for the Dodgers, and Carlos Rodon will be the mound for New York.
More serious than Aaron Boone’s pitching choices is the Yankees’ problem.
A great opportunity was lost by the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series. Twice, New York came within three outs of defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road and taking home-field advantage. However, they squandered it twice: Freddie Freeman’s immediately famous grand slam in the bottom of the tenth sent everyone home after Shohei Ohtani’s triple in the eighth helped force extra innings.
Aaron Boone was the target of Yankees supporters’ ire in the immediate aftermath. In the bottom of the seventh, Boone decided to yank Gerrit Cole at less than 90 pitches, starting New York’s bullpen machine earlier than might have been required. However, that was nothing compared to the disaster on the 10th: With the game at stake, Boone decided to call on lefty reliever Tim Hill, who has been outstanding throughout the postseason, to face Ohtani and Freeman instead. Nestor Cortes had not pitched in a live game for five weeks because of an elbow issue, and he is 1) not a high-leverage reliever. That choice didn’t turn out so well, as you could expect.
I’m not here to defend Boone’s bullpen management, but it’s also not the only factor that allowed the Yankees to steal a victory. There is seldom just one guilty party in a game so tight, and if New York is to save this series, it must improve on more than just its tactics.
The Yankees’ defense fails them once more in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers.
Every out and every advantage matters in a close series against a team as good as the Dodgers. And because of a bewildering assortment of defensive errors, the Yankees gave L.A. far too many in Game 1. It started early when Freddie Freeman, limping around the bases on one healthy ankle, reached third on a liner down the line in the top of the first inning thanks to left fielder Alex Verdugo.
FREDDIE LEGS OUT A TRIPLE 👏
Watch the #WorldSeries in 4K on FOX & the FOX Sports App: https://t.co/ATi1Zc0LHu pic.twitter.com/ECYcJhqOzN
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024
The Yankees wouldn’t have the same luck in the fifth inning, but Gerrit Cole saved his outfielder by leaving the inning. This time, it was Juan Soto, the second corner outfielder for New York, who took a terrible angle and not only missed a fly ball from Enrique Hernandez but also converted it into another triple.
Kiké stays hot in October 🔥
The @Dodgers second triple of the night!
Watch the #WorldSeries📷 in 4K on FOX & the FOX Sports App: https://t.co/ATi1Zc0LHu pic.twitter.com/4FvyqdLOl7
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024
Hernandez’s sacrifice fly, the only run Cole gave up in more than six innings of work, cost the Yankees on the scoreboard this time.
In the eighth inning, New York came back for two runs, and just when it appeared like the Yankees may win, bad defense once more showed up. Shohei Ohtani hit one off the wall in right with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
It took Soto several seconds to get the ball out of his glove, and when he did, it skipped away from Gleyber Torres, giving Ohtani the opportunity to go to third. It had looked like Soto could have a chance to throw Ohtani out as he tried to progress to second. One batter later, when Ohtani was pushed across as the tying run by another sac fly, it would be a major concern.
Would be a lot better if they kept him on second pic.twitter.com/RUmi4MtdQ7
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 26, 2024
However, the Yankees’ defense was not finished. After Torres was pinch-run for in the top of the ninth, utility man Oswaldo Cabrera took his place at number two. He booted a ground ball to put two runners on, with Ohtani coming up in the bottom of the tenth. Although it was hardly a typical play, a Major League second baseman must make it, particularly in such a crucial position.
Another look at Oswaldo Cabrera, who replaced Gleyber Torres in the 9th when Torres was pinch hit for, trying to make that play. pic.twitter.com/Ms2Stq7OCM
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024
Cabrera could have at least gotten one out, which would have completely changed the tone of the inning even though the Yankees might not have been able to turn a double play. Freeman ended the inning with a grand slam with two outs. All six of the Dodgers’ runs were caused by New York’s poor defense, either directly or indirectly. These games will be close, and the Yankees cannot afford to give up runs at this rate, thus Boone’s bullpen management is deserving of all the criticism it is receiving.
