Aaron Boone screwed up.

That was the evaluation of Michael Kay and his YES Network compatriots regarding Boone’s questionable decision to bring in Nestor Cortes during the bottom of the 10th inning in what became a Yankees’ 6-3, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the match. World series in Los Angeles.

With runners on first and second base and one out, Boone decided to eliminate righty Jake Cousins ​​and team up with Nestor Cortes, who had not pitched a game since September 18, to face Shohei Ohtani.

Cortes got Ohtani to fly to left field, thanks to an incredible catch by Alex Verdugo, who went out of play in left field but held on to the ball, a la Derek Jeter’s famous running catch in the stands against the Red Sox in 2004.

Boone then intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases so Cortes could face lefty slugger Freddie Freeman.

Freeman sat on a fastball on the first pitch and made Cortes and the Yankees pay, nullifying the winning grand slam.

After the brutal loss, Michael Kay ripped Boone’s decision, saying he should have gone with lefty Tim Hill, who was warming up in the bullpen at the same time as Cortes.

Ohtani entered his at bat going just 2-for-12 against Cortes, but Kay still didn’t believe the decision.

“I don’t care what the numbers say about Nestor Cortes (vs. Ohtani),” Kay said. “He hadn’t thrown since September 18th. Those numbers against Ohtani were every five days (with Cortes as the starter).

“Tim Hill has retired for the Yankees,” Kay added. ‘That’s the man you bring in. I don’t care about sim games. I don’t care what he looked like in the bullpen. That didn’t seem like the right step.”

Jack Curry then brought up the fact that Freeman told Fox’s Ken Rosenthal afterward that he was chasing a fastball on the first pitch, and that’s what Cortes gave him in an attempt to stay ahead of the count.

Kay and Curry also said Boone’s decision to pull a dominant Gerrit Cole after just 88 pitches was the wrong move because it prompted everyone in the bullpen to come in early.

It ultimately hurt the Yankees.

Kay said the Yankees had a great chance to capitalize on a strong start by their ace, who was pulled after giving up a single to the leadoff batter in the seventh inning despite allowing just one run.

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“When you get a start like Gerrit Cole, you have to win that game,” Kay said, referring to the Bombers’ ace. “This is the reason he is on the team. Major League Baseball teams don’t have Gerrit Coles, not all of them, some of them do. The Yankees have one, well-rested and pitched (six) very strong innings. You probably should have continued longer and then you lose that game. This one stings.”

Regarding Cortes’ fateful decision, Curry said it wasn’t a second guess, but a “first guess” by him and his fellow Yankees broadcasters who questioned the decision at the time it was made.

John Flaherty said this was a “brutal” loss for the Yankees because of the aggressive way both teams used their bullpens.

“Whoever lost this game will feel it tomorrow night,” Flaherty said. “Unfortunately for the Yankees, it will be them.”