LOS ANGELES After a day of external second-gue sing in Game 1, there was one decision Aaron Boone himself grappled with. It was not pulling Gerrit Cole after 88 pitches. It was not bringing in Nestor Cortes, fresh off a flexor strain that had not allowed him to pitch since Sept. 18, to face the Dodgers best hitters. Aaron Boone questioned himself regarding whether he shouldve brought Luke Weaver out for a third inning in Game 1, which turned out to be a 6-3, 10-inning lo s to the Dodgers on Oct. 26, 2024. Getty Images Instead, Boone allowed some reflection on whether he should have stuck with Luke Weaver longer. Boone went to his best bullpen arm in the eighth inning Friday, with the tying run on third, and Weaver recorded two outs but allowed the run to score. Explore More He then buzzed through the Dodgers side in the ninth and had thrown 19 pitches in 1 / innings. The biggest thing is: Do I send Weave back out there for a third up? Boone questioned of himself after the Dodgers hit le ser relievers in the Game 1 lo s. But asking Weaver for a third inning on the mound might have taken him out of Game 2, which became a 4-2 lo s in which Weaver was not used. Boone turned to Jake Cousins for the bottom of the Dodgers order, which Naz Mitrou-Long Jersey did not work when Cousins walked Gavin Lux and allowed a single to Tommy Edman. He then brought in Cortes, who did retire Shohei Ohtani. But after an intentional walk to Mookie Betts to load the bases, Freddie Freeman drilled the walkoff grand slam. Boone had no qualms about turning to Cortes, who he felt had a better chance at striking out Ohtani than Tim Hill, who pitched 1/ scorele s innings in Saturdays Game 2 lo s. Boone was more evasive concerning his Cole decision. The clubs ace allowed one run on four hits without a walk in six-plus innings on 88 pitches. Follow The Posts coverage of the Yankees in the postseason: He pitched into the seventh, when he got ahead of Teoscar Hernandez, 0-2, then could not finish him off. After two fouls and three balls, Hernandez singled. According to Boone, that at-bat told him Cole was finished. After the long at-bat there and the sequence of at-bats the five, six leading up to that I was just like, I knew I had to get him there, Boone said. Boone talked with Cole on the mound before calling for Clay Holmes, who hit one batter, allowed a sacrifice bunt and got Will Smith to pop out before Tommy Kahnle took over in a game that taxed the Yankees bullpen. Luke Weaver did not pitch in the Yankees Game 2 lo s. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post But Boone said he knew when he trotted out to Cole that he would replace the pitcher. How did he know that Cole, a workhorse, was finished? You just have to take my word for it, Boone said of Cole, who he said is healthy. The Yankees opted against shaking up their lineup. Aaron Boone takes Gerrit Cole out of the game in the seventh inning of the Yankees Game 1 lo s. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Boone continued rolling with an order that was arranged to get his best hitters up as often as po sible, which sacrificed some balance. Giancarlo Stanton remained hitting fourth, behind leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres and No. 3 hitter Aaron Judge. Three righties were within the first four batters, and only Anthony Volpe represented a righty bat in the final five slots. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then was more effectively able to get the platoon advantage. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Lefty Anthony Banda replaced Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the seventh after Yamamoto retired Stanton. Banda induced a flyout from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and hit Anthony Rizzo before Volpe flew out. Luis Gil will pitch Game 4 against what looks like a Dodgers bullpen game. The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler will oppose Clarke Schmidt in Game 3. Opting for Buehler means he likely would start a Game 7. Judge was named overall Player of the Year and AL Outstanding Player in balloting for the 2024 Players Choice Awards the only awards in which the players are selected by their peers. Judge beat out finalists Shohei Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr. T.J. McConnell Jersey