Aaron Boone’s latest comments on bullpen, Gerrit Cole should terrify Yankees fans

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on his bullpen plan for Monday night’s Game 5, and while ideal for him, it’s scary for fans.

Boone could be on his last legs as Yankees manager. If he loses to the low-payroll Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, he could very well be fired by the end of the week. Eventually, New York baseball fans need to see results. And in this case, ‘results’ consists of a pennant, at the very least.

In Game 3, Boone made a fatal error by choosing to sit closer Clay Holmes for rest reasons. Boone went with a combination of relievers in the ninth inning instead, which included Wandy Peralta and Clarke Schmidt. The two combined to give up three runs, and the lead via a walk-off single.

It didn’t help matters that Holmes and the team were surprised he wasn’t utilized. The lack of communication was, somehow, deafening.

Yankees: Aaron Boone’s Game 5 bullpen plan could involve Gerrit Cole

Boone said that, seemingly, everyone in his bullpen is available for Game 5. In theory that sounds great! But in practice it gives Boone all the more opportunities to make mistakes.

The Yankees skipper went as far as to say he’d be ‘aggressive’ with the team’s bullpen in Game 5. Jameson Taillon will start, but he could be pulled in favor of a matchup at any moment.

Beyond Taillon, Gerrit Cole claimed he is available despite throwing over 100 pitches just Sunday night in Game 4. Cole was phenomenal in Cleveland, but he infamously doesn’t deal well with delays of any sort, including rain or weather-induced wait times.

Cole pitching on short rest, even if it’s just an inning, sounds good for the Yankees. It very well might be, but it further delays his necessary rest time for the ALCS, should New York make it there.

Complicating matters isn’t necessarily the right approach for Boone. He has plenty of options already — why bring Cole into the mix unless he absolutely has to?