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

🚨 BOMBSHELL: Mets Trade Prediction Sends Astros’ $60 Million Slugger for Mark Vientos! The shocking swap could shake up the entire MLB landscape as teams gear up for a blockbuster season. Is this the bold move the Mets need? ll 👇👇👇

New York Mets Eye Big Trade with Houston Astros: Christian Walker Set to Join Queens in Blockbuster Move As the New York Mets gear up for the…

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: “Jerry Jones Cares a Lot”: PFF Mock Draft Has Dallas Cowboys SHOCKINGLY TRADING UP to Select RB Jeremiyah Love! Fans are stunned as the franchise makes a bold move that could change their offensive future. Will this gamble pay off? ll 👇👇👇

The Dallas Cowboys have the 12th and 20th overall selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. There are a lot of holes on Dallas’s roster that need to…

ASTROS JUST LANDED A MONSTER UPGRADE! Their Blockbuster Trade Acquisition Has Officially Locked Down the #2 Spot in the Rotation — Houston’s Starting Staff Is About to Become an Absolute DEATH TRAP for Every Lineup in the AL!

  Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows (50) delivers a pitch during spring training. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Houston Astros might have lost a big piece…

🚨 BOMBSHELL: Dodgers CRUSHED Rival with a $69 Million Move! The unexpected deal shakes the competition to its core, leaving fans stunned and rivals scrambling. Is this the game-changing move that defines their season? ll 👇👇👇

The Dodgers’ Bold Move: How Edwin Diaz’s Departure from the Mets Strengthens L.A. and Adds Fuel to the NL Rivalry The New York Mets might not have…

GIANTS DROP THE GAUNTLET! Official Starting Pitchers Locked In for Massive Season-Opening Clash vs. New York Yankees — This Rotation Reveal Is About to IGNITE the Subway Series Rivalry Like Never Before!

San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images The obvious was known — Logan Webb will start for the San Francisco Giants on opening day…

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Yankees Coach Addresses Claims that Front Office Picks Lineups! Tensions rise as rumors about management’s influence on the field decisions take center stage. Will this spark a major shift in team dynamics? ll 👇👇👇

The New York Yankees and Manager Aaron Boone: A Deep Dive into Lineup Controversies and 2026 Expectations In the world of Major League Baseball, few teams are…