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The New York Yankees lost both games on the road to start the World Series. Just because the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 2-0 series lead does not mean the season is over for the Bombers. Manager Aaron Boone has caught the ire of fans all season and this week has not been any different. What can he do about the bullpen and Aaron Judge to flip this series around?
Game 1 was a low-scoring affair that was pushed into extra innings. The Yankees had a 2-1 lead until Mookie Betts hit a sacrifice fly that scored Shohei Ohtani in the eighth inning. Aaron Judge came up in the top of the ninth but popped up to end the inning. In extras, Jake Cousins let two runners on and Nestor Cortes Jr. allowed the walk-off homer to Freddie Freeman.
They had much less of a chance to win Game 2. After Carlos Rodón failed to make it through four innings, high-leverage arms came out of the bullpen for the Yankees. They held serve, not allowing a run and giving the offense a chance to come back. They did not take advantage and New York lost 4-2.
What could Aaron Boone have done to change these outcomes? And what can he do to flip the momentum when the series returns to New York? If the Yankees are going to win their 28th championship, things have to change quickly.
The Yankees need a new bullpen management scheme
The Yankees started the postseason with dominant bullpen performances. They did not allow a run in the ALDS against the Royals and started well against the Guardians. Then, in Game 2 Luke Weaver allowed a meaningless home run to Jose Ramirez. Since then, it has been a rough go for the Yankees' relief pitchers.
Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry combined for one of the best wins of the postseason for the Guardians in Game 3. Noel got Weaver and Fry got Clay Holmes to give Cleveland their only win of the ALCS. Cousins, Holmes, and Mark Leiter Jr all allowed earned runs in Game 4. Their game 5 performance was great, but the bad bullpen returned for the World Series.
Nestor Cortes Jr returned from an elbow injury to pitch in the tenth inning of Game 1 of the World Series. Although Tim Hill was warming up and has been great in the postseason, Boone chose Cortes. Freddie Freeman hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history. Boone must move Cortes out of the trust tree and use him as a bulk guy. Hill should be used as a lefty specialist against the top of their order.
Boone decided to use HIll early in Game 2 to get Freeman out and it worked. That would have been a situation for Cortes, as it was only the fifth inning. Their roles should be switched for Monday's Game 3.
Aaron Judge needs a shakeup
If you watched the game on FOX, you heard Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz crushing multiple Yankees hitters for their form. Aaron Judge was one of them, as the former pitcher said his front hip was “gone.” He commented how pitchers would be able to easily fool him on the breaking ball and it worked. He has struck out six times in nine at-bats in the World Series.
Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton have been batting on either side of Judge in the World Series. Aaron Boone has said in the past that he prefers to alternate righties and lefties but has not done that because of the slumps of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells. Something does have to change, however, but it cannot involve the top two hitters in the lineup.
Gleyber Torres and Soto have been spectacular all postseason at the top of the lineup. Boone should not change that up, as they have started almost every game on base. Those first innings have died when Judge comes to bat, so Giancarlo Stanton should be next. Then, Anthony Rizzo can bat fourth and Judge fifth, keeping the alternate batters and switching up the lineup.
With this move, Boone will make it known to everyone that everyone's spot is up for grabs. If the captain can be moved because of a slump, anyone can be moved. Rizzo has solid contact numbers since returning from broken fingers and Stanton has been the best hitter this postseason. The Yankees are a better team with those guys hitting with runners in scoring position than Aaron Judge.
