There is one Yankees Game 1 decision Aaron Boone is second-guessing

LOS ANGELES — After a time of outer second-guessing, location was 1 determination Aaron Boone himself grappled with. 

It was not pulling Gerrit Cole aft 88 pitches.

It was not bringing successful Nestor Cortes, caller disconnected a flexor strain that had not allowed him to transportation since Sept. 18, to look nan Dodgers’ champion hitters. 

Instead, Boone allowed immoderate reflection connected whether he should person stuck pinch Luke Weaver longer. 

Boone went to his champion bullpen limb successful nan eighth inning, pinch nan tying tally connected third, and Weaver recorded 2 outs but allowed nan tally to score.

He past buzzed done nan Dodgers broadside successful nan ninth and had thrown 19 pitches successful 1 ²/₃ innings. 

“The biggest point is: Do I nonstop Weav’ backmost retired location for a 3rd up?” Boone questioned of himself aft nan Dodgers deed lesser relievers. 

But asking Weaver for a 3rd travel to nan mound mightiness person taken him retired of Game 2.

Boone turned to Jake Cousins for nan bottommost of nan Dodgers’ order, which did not activity erstwhile Cousins walked Gavin Lux and allowed a azygous to Tommy Edman. 

With 1 out, he past brought successful Cortes, who did discontinue Shohei Ohtani.

But aft an intentional locomotion to Mookie Betts to load nan bases, Freddie Freeman drilled nan walk-off expansive slam. 

“Nestor, I’m bully with,” Boone said of his decision, successful which he opted for Cortes complete Tim Hill. 

Boone reasoned that pinch 1 retired successful that situation, he wanted Cortes because he wanted a amended chance astatine a strikeout pinch 2 runners connected base, nan tying tally connected 2nd and go-ahead tally connected first.

If location were 2 outs, he would person gone pinch Hill, who pitches much to contact. 

“Even aft nan fact, I consciousness for illustration that [Cortes decision] was nan correct move pinch 1 out,” said Boone, who was much evasive concerning nan Cole decision. 

Follow The Post’s sum of nan Yankees successful nan postseason:

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The club’s ace allowed 1 tally connected 4 hits without a locomotion successful six-plus innings connected 88 pitches.

He sounded into nan seventh, erstwhile he sewage up of Teoscar Hernandez, 0-2, past could not decorativeness him off.

After 2 fouls and 3 balls, Hernandez singled. 

According to Boone, that sheet quality told him Cole was finished. 

“After nan agelong at-bat location and nan series of at-bats — nan five, six starring up to that, I was conscionable like, I knew I had to get him there,” Boone said earlier Game 2 astatine Dodger Stadium. 

Boone talked pinch Cole connected nan mound earlier calling for Clay Holmes, who deed 1 batter, allowed a sac bunt and sewage Will Smith to popular retired earlier Tommy Kahnle took complete successful a crippled that taxed nan Yankees’ bullpen. 

But Boone said he knew erstwhile he trotted retired to Cole that he would switch nan pitcher. 

How did he cognize that Cole, a workhorse, was finished? 

“You conscionable person to return my connection for it,” Boone said. 

The Yankees opted against shaking up their lineup. 

Boone continued rolling pinch an unbalanced bid that was arranged to get his champion hitters up arsenic often arsenic possible, which sacrificed immoderate balanced. 

On Friday, because Gleyber Torres batted leadoff, Aaron Judge 3rd and Giancarlo Stanton cleanup, nan Yankees had righties astatine nan apical and a statement of lefties successful nan mediate and bottom, pinch Anthony Volpe nan lone righty batting among nan last 5 slots.

The Dodgers took advantage. 

In nan sixth, nan Dodgers opted for Anthony Banda to get Yankees lefties out.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled and stole a fewer bases, and Volpe was intentionally walked up of an infield azygous from Austin Wells, but Alex Verdugo struck out. 

There was nary hint of a rally successful nan eighth, erstwhile Alex Vesia struck retired Chisholm and Anthony Rizzo earlier Volpe flied out. 

Luis Gil will transportation Game 4 against what looks for illustration a Dodgers bullpen game.

The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler will reason Clarke Schmidt successful Game 3.

Opting for Buehler intends he apt would commencement a Game 7. 

Judge was named wide Player of nan Year and AL Outstanding Player successful balloting for nan 2024 Players Choice Awards — nan only awards successful which nan players are selected by their peers. 

Judge hit retired finalists Shohei Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr.