Aaron Boone is taking a lot of heat for the way he managed Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
The majority of fans in the Bronx believe Boone should’ve left All-Star pitcher Max Fried in longer than 6.1 innings. To be fair, the left-handed already threw 102 pitches before being pulled for Luke Weaver. The problem though is that Weaver quickly gave up the lead by allowing two runs in the seventh inning.
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While there’s no question Boone mismanaged the bullpen on Tuesday night, that probably wasn’t his biggest blunder. Before Game 1 even started, fans noticed that he had All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm on the bench.
Boone had Amed Rosario at second base over Chisholm because he came into Tuesday’s game 6-for-9 with a homer during his career at-bats against Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet.
Chisholm, meanwhile, finished the 2025 season hitting .248 against lefties. Clearly, the analytics led to Boone starting Rosario.
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Well, that decision backfired. Rosario went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Chisholm late in the game.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 30: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a single in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 30, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)Mike Stobe/Getty Images
Has Boone lost the clubhouse?
Chisholm, who had a .242 batting average and 31 home runs this season, was visibly frustrated with Boone’s decision for Game 1. He had his back turned to reporters while answering their postgame questions.
Former Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin defended Chisholm’s postgame behavior. That’s because he thinks Boone made an “unacceptable” mistake.
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“I’m not even mad at Jazz….he should be pissed. The man just had a 30-30 season and then gets treated like a platoon player is unacceptable,” Maybin wrote on X. “The third player in Yankees history to achieve a 30-30 season (joining Bobby Bonds and Alfonso Soriano).”
Maybin also had an issue with Boone pulling Fried in the top of the seventh inning.
“It’s winning time,” Maybin said. “Play your best regardless of analytics. Screw pitch counts. You pay your ace for these exact moments. Win or lose with your best, not analytical suggestions when it’s life or death and everything is on the line!”
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The Yankees need a win Wednesday night to keep their season alive. If not, there’s a chance the 27-time World Series champions could move on from Boone.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.