Boone's Decision, Yankees' Loss
Yankees Manager Aaron Boone Takes Blame for Keeping Gerrit Cole in Loss to Dodgers
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Key Points
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Brent Headrick was warming up in the Yankees' bullpen as a ready left-handed reliever, but Boone did not signal for him to enter when Mookie Betts reached base and Gerrit Cole faced Max Muncy in the seventh.
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Boone publicly shouldered the decision, repeatedly saying it was his call and using phrases like, 'On me' and 'I probably should grab him there' after the mound visit.
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Boone defended his reasoning by saying he was reading body language and believed Cole was competitive in the Mookie Betts at-bat and had enough to get to Muncy, highlighting the gut instinct aspect of late-inning bullpen decisions.
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The outing marked Gerrit Cole’s 10th major-league start since returning in May from Tommy John surgery, underscoring the ongoing phase of his comeback.
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The postponement of a pull contrasts with Boone’s decision in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series, when he pulled Cole after six innings of one-run ball; in this game Cole allowed zero runs through those six innings before the late mistake that cost the win.
The New York Yankees lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 in their first game back after the All-Star break, and manager Aaron Boone is pointing the finger squarely at himself. ClutchPoints reported that Boone chose to leave Gerrit Cole on the mound in the seventh inning, and Max Muncy made him pay with a two-run home run that decided the game.
Boone did not hold back after the loss. 'On me,' he said repeatedly, adding, 'I probably should grab him there.' A left-handed reliever, Brent Headrick, was already warming in the bullpen. Boone never called for him.
Muncy's Homer Ends a Tight Pitchers' Duel
Cole was dominant for most of the night. He threw six scoreless innings, racking up eight strikeouts. The Yankees led 1-0 heading into the seventh. Then Cole walked Mookie Betts to lead off the inning. That brought up Muncy, and the at-bat ended in disaster — a two-run shot that flipped the score to 2-1 Dodgers, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Dodgers held on for the win. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts weighed in on Boone's decision after the game, Sports Illustrated noted. The Dodgers opened the second half of the season with a statement road win over their World Series rivals.
Boone Trusted His Gut — and Paid the Price
Boone explained his thinking after the game. He said he watched Cole's body language during the Betts at-bat and believed his ace still had enough left to get through Muncy. That gut call did not work out. Yahoo Sports reported that Boone admitted he waited too long to pull Cole before the decisive home run.
Headrick was warmed up and ready. He is a left-handed pitcher, which would have been a natural matchup against the left-handed-hitting Muncy. Boone never made the call. He took full ownership of that choice, using the phrase 'on me' more than once in his postgame comments, per ClutchPoints.
Cole's Comeback Adds Pressure to Every Pitching Choice
This outing was Cole's 10th major-league start since returning from Tommy John surgery in May. Tommy John surgery is a procedure that repairs the elbow and requires a long recovery — often more than a year. Every decision about when to pull Cole carries extra weight given where he is in that comeback, according to ClutchPoints.
The moment also echoes Game 1 of the 2024 World Series. In that game, Boone pulled Cole after six innings of one-run ball. This time, Cole had not allowed a single run through six innings, yet Boone still let him go back out — and it cost the Yankees the game, The Big Lead reported.
Boone's Job Security Looms in the Background
Boone has managed the Yankees since 2018 and holds a regular-season record of 751-539. He is under contract through 2027, according to Heavy. Still, decisions like Thursday's will keep the scrutiny on him, especially when the Yankees lose tight games they appeared to control.
Losses like this one feed the ongoing debate about Boone's in-game management. He made the call, he owned it, and the Yankees still went home with an L. Whether that honesty is enough to quiet critics remains to be seen as the second half of the season gets underway.
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