Gary Sheffield Jr. Takes Shot at Aaron Boone After Manager’s Decision to Pull Max Fried Costs Yankees Game 1 Against Red Sox

After Aaron Boone replaced Max Fried in the 7th inning, the Boston Red Sox pounced on Luke Weaver and scored 2 runs to turn the game around.

Gary Sheffield Jr. Takes Shot at Aaron Boone After Manager’s Decision to Pull Max Fried Costs Yankees Game 1 Against Red Sox

Aaron Boone and Max Fried (Image via Imago/Newsweek)

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On Tuesday, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox meet in another postseason matchup. During this, Yankees manager Aaron Boone made another big decision and decided to pull Max Fried from the game. This decision proved costly as the Yanks ended up losing Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. Gary Sheffield Jr. would later take a shot at Boone.

Fried was given the nod to start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series and went up against Red Sox’ ace Garrett Crochet. In this pitching duel, the Yankees ace got into the lead as Anthony Volpe slammed a solo home run in the 2nd inning to give his side a 1-0 lead.

The 31-year-old pitcher would continue to dominate the Red Sox batters and threw six scoreless innings. He did face some difficulties in the 4th and 5th inning, but managed to escape unharmed. After his pitch count reached at 102 in the 7th inning, Boone would take the ball away from him and relieve him.

The decision of Boone to take out Fried proved costly for the Yankees. Luke Weaver, who came in to relief Fried, struggled from the mound.

Weaver ended up conceding 2 runs as he walked Ceddane Rafaela and gave up hits to Nick Sogard and Masataka Yoshida. He failed to retire any batter and was replaced in the very same inning. The Yankees ended up losing 3-1, with Weaver being credited with the loss.

Fans on social media were not pleased with this. They would slam the Yankees manager for this and debated that Fried should have been in the game longer, like Crochet, who went on to throw 117 pitches in a 7.2 inning outing.

One of them who criticized Aaron Boone was Gary Sheffield Jr., son of former Yankees star Gary Sheffield. The “Yankees Unloaded” podcaster would take a jab at Boone while discussing his decision to pull out Fried while he was in top form.

Props to Aaron Boone not overworking Max Fried to prepare him for his big start in March

Gary Sheffield on X

With the loss on Tuesday, the Yankees’ 2025 season is now on the line. A loss on Wednesday would see them suffer an early exit from the postseason and extend their wait for the World Series title number 28 to another season.

Michael Kay slams Aaron Boone’s explanation to pull Max Fried from the game

Aaron Boone‘s decision to pull Max Fried from the game on Tuesday turned out to be a massive one. The Boston Red Sox scored and got on the scoreboard, and put up 2 runs against Luke Weaver to turn the game around. After the game, broadcaster Michael Kay would slam the explanation of Boone to take out Fried.

Aaron Boone
Aaron Boone (Inage via MLB)

In the press conference after the game, Boone expressed that he was gonna take out Fried after the 6th inning, no matter what happened. He added that the Red Sox put some pressure on the southpaw in the earlier innings.

While discussing these comments of Boone on the YES Network, Kay was initially OK with his decision. However, after hearing the explanation, Kay expressed that Boone’s words sounded like a blueprint move.

It’s the eighth and ninth batters in the lineup. This is your ace. This is the guy you gave an eight-year contract to. That’s why you give the guy the money to be that person. To me, that sounds like a blueprint move. That’s not the time for Weaver. That’s the time to keep in Fried. You keep Fried in until Fried can’t go any longer.

Michael Kay said on YES Network

The Yankees will now turn towards Carlos Rodon to save their season. A win in Game 2 will force Game 3. The winner of this series will face off against their division champions, the Toronto Blue Jays, in the best-of-five American League Division Series (ALDS).

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