New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is getting raked over the coals for his decision to go to a pitcher who hasn’t played in more than a month due to injury.
In the bottom of the tenth of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ thrilling 6-3 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series, Boone had two lefties warming up: Tim Hill, who has a 1.59 ERA in the playoffs, and Nestor Cortes, who suffered a flexor strain in his pitching arm at the end of the regular season and missed the ALDS and ALCS.
With the Yankees up 3-2 and superstar Shohei Ohtani about to approach the plate with runners on first and second, Boone walked out of the dugout and signaled for the guy who hasn’t pitched in a game in 37 days.
Cortes was able to get Ohtani to foul out for the second out of the inning, thanks to a great defensive play by left fielder Alex Verdugo as he flipped over the railing to make the catch.
Boone decided to intentionally walk Mookie Betts so Cortes would get the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Freddie Freeman. However, it was ill-fated as Freeman cranked out a walk-off grand slam on the first pitch.
Social media absolutely lit into Boone for going with Cortes over Hill in that situation.
Aaron Boone decided to throw Nestor Cortes who hasn’t thrown a baseball in a month over Tim Hill who had been stellar throughout the entire playoffs
— 4 Train Savages (@FourSavages) October 26, 2024
And people ask why fans don’t like him
Tim Hill watching Nestor Cortes throw 93 mph down the middle to try and save pic.twitter.com/2bighmLLir
— Beeks 🐥 (@beeksvybe) October 26, 2024
Spice currently has Aaron Boone pinned up a tree, demanding answers as to why Nestor Cortes pitched instead of Tim Hill pic.twitter.com/G24zo3nBHS
— Robbie Lastella (@RLastellaReport) October 26, 2024
Everyone: “Alright, bring in Tim Hill to close out Game 1 with a win.”
— GreatWhiteBets💭 (@GreatWhiteJawz) October 26, 2024
Aaron Boone: “Let’s bring in Nestor Cortes who hasn’t pitched in 5 weeks” pic.twitter.com/xu4TH1dIjV
Tim Hill has done it all postseason and you go to Nestor Cortes who just came off the IL.
— Christian (@Christian_NYYST) October 26, 2024
Baffling.
The #Yankees drop a game they should’ve won.
Now you’re in a position where the season is basically on the line tomorrow with Carlos Rodon on the mound.
He put in Nestor Cortes who hasn’t pitched since Vietnam over Tim Hill who has looked like Houdini. https://t.co/FoOXFFzNtO
— Jimmy Randazzo (@JimmyRandazzo) October 26, 2024
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone defends decision to go with Nestor Cortes
Following the Game 1 loss, Boone explained to reporters why he went with Cortes over Hill to face the top of the Dodgers’ lineup.
“Just liked the matchup,” Boone said, via ESPN.com. “The reality is he’s been throwing the ball really well the last few weeks as he’s gotten ready for this.”
Aaron Boone explains why he went with Nestor Cortes over Tim Hill pic.twitter.com/NShBir25sC
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) October 26, 2024
For his part, Cortes said he just “couldn’t get the job done.”
“Just sucks,” Cortes told ESPN.com. “I couldn’t come through for the guys. I know everybody’s focused on Ohtani, Ohtani, Ohtani. We get him out, but Freeman is also a really good hitter. I just couldn’t get the job done today.”
The Yankees have a chance to tie up the series as Game 2 takes place tonight at 8:08 p.m. The Yankees will start Carlos Rodon, while the Dodgers will go with Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Related: 8 takeaways as Los Angeles Dodgers win wild World Series Game 1 against New York Yankees