BREAKING: Is Aaron Boone’s ‘Grady Little Moment’ in the World Series the Final Straw for the Yankees?

Aaron Boone

Did New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone just have his “Grady Little moment”?

Two outs from winning Game 1 of the World Series 3-2 on Friday night, Boone turned to left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes, who hadn‘t pitched in 37 days, to save the game by facing the top of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ order.

It failed miserably — and could raise uncomfortable questions about Boone’s job security if the Yankees do not win the World Series.

Although Cortes got Shohei Ohtani to fly out in foul territory for the second out, the Yankees walked Mookie Betts to load the bases to pitch to Freddie Freeman, who proceeded to launch a walk-off grand slam. Dodgers 6, Yankees 3 in 10 innings.

On Thursday‘s ESPN “Baseball Tonight” podcast, MLB insider Buster Olney was asked which manager, Boone or the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, was more “vulnerable” in terms of his job security. While Olney thought both were safe and would get extensions in the offseason, he left one caveat — the type that played out Friday.

“I think they are equally vulnerable,” Olney said. “It sounds like a cop-out but I think they are in a really great position now that they‘ve reached the World Series. … The Yankees getting back to World Series for the first time since 2009.

“(But) I do think that if there‘s a Grady Little moment. Like if there’s one major decision in a big spot that turns out to be decisive, that fuels talk radio, especially for Aaron Boone. Then, yeah, potentially that manager could be more vulnerable.”

Boone turned to Cortes, who last pitched Sept. 18, over Tim Hill, a funky left-handed reliever with a 3.36 ERA in the regular season and one earned run allowed in 5 2/3 innings in the postseason. Additionally, he was a player who at least had been pitching in competitive games, unlike Cortes who was resting and rehabbing his flexor tendon strain (which will likely require surgery) over the past month-plus.

In Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series, former Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little kept in Pedro Martinez in the eighth inning against the Yankees with a 5-2 lead. Five batters later, the score was 5-5 and the Yankees would win via an 11th-inning Boone home run to knock out Boston, ultimately losing to the Marlins in the World Series.

The decision that drew heavy criticism was keeping Martinez in at 115 pitches with one batter on and left-handed slugger Hideki Matsui up, five outs from advancing to the World Series. The score was 5-3. Little could have called on lefty Alan Embree. Instead, Matsui hit a double and Jorge Posada doubled to score two more. The rest, as they say, was history.

Little was fired less than two weeks later, though the Red Sox say his insistence on a multi-year deal played a factor.

Related Posts

CHICAGO JUST SEALED THE DEAL! Alex Bregman drops BRUTAL truth bomb on why he snubbed the Red Sox for the Cubs – you won’t believe what he really thought about Boston’s offer!

Alex Bregman was linked to multiple teams in MLB free agency. A Boston Red Sox-Bregman reunion was a possibility, while other suitors emerged throughout the offseason. Bregman…

Three Key Takeaways from the San Francisco Giants’ 4-1 Win Over the Los Angeles Angels (February 24, 2026) – Keeping the Undefeated Streak Alive at 4-0

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. | Allan Henry-Imagn Images The San Francsico Giants are unstoppable in Arizona. Four spring training games, four spring training game…

HOUSTON STILL HAS TIME TO STRIKE! Astros Poised to Jump on Blockbuster Trade with Red Sox – Massive Swap Could Flip the AL West Race Overnight!

Houston Astros cap | William Purnell-Imagn Images The Houston Astros landed some key names during their offseason, including starters Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows and Ryan Weiss. They…

ST. LOUIS JUST UNLEASHED A BOMBSHELL! Cardinals’ 2026 Bounce-Back Story Will Be Jordan Walker – the Former Top Prospect Poised to EXPLODE and Save the Rebuild!

Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) runs past third base against the Houston Astros during the third…

BOSTON JUST DROPPED A BOMBSHELL! Red Sox $130 Million Bet Shows EARLY RED FLAG in Debut – Inconsistent Command Already Raising Questions!

Getty Red Sox $130 Million Bet Shows Early Red Flag in Debut The Boston Red Sox didn’t invest five years and $130 million in Ranger Suárez just…

Evan Carter Stuns Fans With Bold Move That Could Alter Rangers’ Future

IMAGE: Imagn Images Evan Carter’s journey with the Texas Rangers has been a rollercoaster since his electrifying debut in 2023, where he played a pivotal role in…