New York Yankees fans are directing their ire at Aaron Boone, once again. This time, it's because the Yankees' manager chose not to intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani with a runner on base and New York leading the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Aaron Boone's decision backfired when Ohtani sent a pitch by Michael King over the center-field wall, tying the game in what eventually became a 4-3 Angels victory.

Ohtani represented the tying run with Eduardo Escobar on first base. After the Yankees were defeated in extra innings, Boone told reporters that he didn't walk Ohtani because first base wasn't open.

“Maybe if he had gotten to second base and fallen behind in the count or something, but no, not there,” Boone said.

Boone intentionally walked Ohtani earlier in the game. With the game scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning and runners on second and third, Boone signaled Yankees starter Luis Severino to issue Ohtani a free pass. Severino retired Mickey Moniack with the bases loaded, escaping the inning unscathed.

Ohtani has hit a home run in the seventh inning or later in three straight games. Tuesday's homer was Ohtani's MLB-leading 35th of the season. The two-way superstar is on track to challenge Aaron Judge's single-season record of 62 homers, which he set with the Yankees just last year.

“I thought we did a lot of good things tonight,” Boone said, “but certain situations there you got to be able to make better adjustments.”

Boone's bullpen management has been a sore subject among Yankees' fans since he became the manager five years ago. With the Yankees in sole possession of last place in the AL East, the calls for the organization to make drastic changes are only getting louder.