The ALDS Game 3 ended in one of the most devastating postseason losses the Yankees have ever endured. Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t choose closer Clay Holmes to pitch in the ninth inning and it proved too costly for the Yankees. This surprised Luis Severino, who started the game.
Clay Holmes himself admitted it came as a surprise to him when he learned that someone else was going to pitch the ninth inning. Oscar Gonzalez stole a walk-off run that helped the Guardians win the game and take 2-1 ALDS lead.
During a post-game press meet, Luis Severino expressed his surprise over the team not picking Clay Holmes and asked reporters to put the question before Yankees manager Boone.
“He’s our closer,” Severino said, “So of course I was surprised. I don’t know if he was down. There shouldn’t be people down in the playoffs. That’s something you guys need to ask Boonie or [Matt] Blake to see what was going on there.”
Boone defended his choice and said that Holmes would only be available in an “emergency” and the ninth inning of ALDS Game 3 didn’t appear to qualify as an emergency situation. Instead, Clarke Schmidt was used as a closer and he allowed Oscar Gonzalez to win the game with a walk-off single as New York blew a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning and moved closer to elimination from the playoffs. Clay Holmes was resting after pitching in Game 2 and had just recently returned from injury.
“I can’t do nothing about it,” a clearly surprised Luis Severino said.
What do you think? Is Luis Severino pointing his finger at Aaron Boone for the mistake? Leave a comment below.
