A questionable pitching change haunted the New York Yankees as they dropped Game 1 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 in 10 innings Friday night, with criticism mounting over manager Aaron Boone’s late-game decision.
With two outs needed to secure a 3-2 victory, Boone opted for rust over reliability. He summoned Yankees’ left-hander Nestor Cortes, who hadn’t seen game action in 37 days, to face the heart of the Dodgers’ lineup. The move immediately drew scrutiny from YES Network analysts, led by broadcaster Michael Kay, who questioned bypassing the recently dominant Tim Hill in favor of the long-inactive Cortes.
Despite an acrobatic catch by left fielder Alex Verdugo to retire Shohei Ohtani — reminiscent of Derek Jeter’s famous 2004 dive into the stands against Boston — the strategy ultimately unraveled. After intentionally walking Mookie Betts to load the bases, Cortes served up a first-pitch fastball that Freddie Freeman launched for a walk-off grand slam.
Kay later emphasized that Cortes’ previous success against Ohtani (2-for-12) came during regular season starts, not high-leverage relief situations following a lengthy absence. He maintained that Hill’s recent dominant performances made him the clear choice for such a crucial moment. The decision overshadowed what had been a tightly contested opener, marking a devastating start to the Yankees’ championship pursuit. The series continues Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Yankees’ Boone faces flak for his decision
The aftermath of the Yankees’ crushing Game 1 World Series defeat has ignited intense scrutiny of manager Aaron Boone’s pitching decisions, with analysts questioning both his early hook of ace Gerrit Cole and the fateful call to Nestor Cortes in the decisive moment.
The criticism intensified after Freddie Freeman revealed to Fox Sports that he anticipated and received the exact pitch he wanted — a first-pitch fastball from Cortes that resulted in the game-winning grand slam.
YES Network analysts Jack Curry and Michael Kay highlighted two pivotal decisions that proved costly. First was pulling Cole after just 88 pitches when he surrendered a leadoff single in the seventh inning, having allowed only one run in a masterful performance. The early exit forced a cascade of bullpen moves that ultimately left the Yankees vulnerable.
“When you get a start like you did out of Gerrit Cole, you got to win that game,” Kay explained. “This is the reason he’s on the team. Major League Baseball teams don’t have Gerrit Coles, all of them don’t, some do. The Yankees have one, well-rested and pitched [six] really strong innings. Probably should have gone longer and you lose that game. This one stings.”
The more controversial decision came in the final frame. Instead of turning to Tim Hill, whose submarine-style delivery has mystified hitters throughout the postseason, Boone opted for Cortes, who hadn’t pitched in actual game conditions since September 18.
The YES broadcast team, including John Flaherty, noted their immediate concerns about the pitching change when it happened, emphasizing this wasn’t second-guessing but real-time analysis of a puzzling strategic choice.
The loss particularly stings given Cole’s dominant performance, a rare commodity in postseason baseball. His early departure may have squandered the Yankees’ best chance to secure a crucial road victory in the series opener.
The decision to bypass Hill, whose unorthodox delivery and pitch selection have made him nearly unhittable this postseason, looms large as the Yankees prepare for Game 2. The team must now regroup quickly, facing increased pressure to avoid falling into a 2-0 series deficit at Dodger Stadium.
“Tim Hill has been lights out for the Yankees,” Kay added. “That’s the guy you bring in. We all looked at each other when he brought in Nestor Cortez. It didn’t make sense. Again, he had not thrown a pitch since Sept. 18. I don’t care about [simulation] games. I don’t care about how he looked in the bullpen. That did not seem to be the move to make.”
The Yankees’ Game 1 World Series loss has drawn sharp criticism over the handling of their pitching staff, particularly the decision to use a recently activated Nestor Cortes in a crucial moment instead of postseason standout Tim Hill.
The controversy centers on manager Aaron Boone’s choice to deploy Cortes, who hadn’t pitched since being sidelined with a left elbow flexor strain and was only added to the World Series roster at the last minute. The high-stakes situation of extra innings proved too daunting for the returning pitcher, despite getting one critical out against Shohei Ohtani.
YES Network analysts questioned the logic of bypassing Hill, who has been one of the team’s most reliable postseason relievers. The decision became even more glaring after an intentional walk to Mookie Betts backfired, leading to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam on Cortes’ first pitch.
“That’s a gut punch for the Yankees when you lose like that,” Flaherty said. “And you have to question Aaron Boone right away: Where was Tim Hill? He’s been one of your best relievers this whole postseason. Decided to go with Nestor Cortez there in extra innings. He gets [Shohei] Ohtani out, and then an intentional walk to Mookie Betts and the next pitch is a grand slam, and the game is over.”
The defeat was particularly costly as it squandered a masterful performance from ace Gerrit Cole, whose value to the Yankees was precisely for moments like these. Cole’s dominant six-inning effort, cut short at just 88 pitches, represented the type of premium pitching that separates championship contenders from pretenders.
Boone’s defense of the Cortes decision, citing impressive bullpen sessions, did little to quell the criticism. The loss puts additional pressure on the Yankees heading into Game 2, having already burned their ace without securing a victory.
“When you get a start like you did from Gerrit Cole … I mean, this was such a key game for the Yankees, your ace,” Kay said. “This is the reason he’s on the team. Major League Baseball teams don’t have Gerrit Coles. … The Yankees have one who was well-rested. He put in six really strong innings. Probably should have gone longer, and you lose that game.”
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