The New York Yankees are on the precipice of seeing their dream second half of 2025 end in bitter disappointment at the hands of their old rivals, the Boston Red Sox.
Boston took out the Yankees 3-1 in Game 1 of the best-of-three wild card series in the Bronx, as Garret Chrochet and Aroldis Champman combined to hold the Bronx Bombers to just a run on seven hits to take a 1-0 series lead.
With the Yankees leading 1-0 in the top of the seventh, Fried had induced a Jarren Duran ground out on just three pitches before Boone popped out of the dugout and made the move to Luke Weaver.
The decision turned out to be a hideous mistake.
Weaver walked Ceddanne Rafaela, and surrendered a double by Nick Sogard to put runners in scoring position. Masataka Yoshida finally lined the first pitch he saw up the middle for two-run single to make it 2-1 Boston.
The Red Sox would tack on another run in the eighth on an Alex Bregman double.
It's not like the Yankees didn't have chances. In the ninth inning, New York loaded the bases against closer Aroldis Chapman, and the ex-Yankee found a way out of it. First Chapman struck out Giancarlo Stanton on a nasty 100 mph change-up on the outer half of the plate for the first out.
Then, he jammed Jazz Chisholm on a fly ball to right. The Yankees, for whatever reason, didn't bring the runner in from third, keeping the bases loaded.
Finally, Chapman struck out perhaps the hottest hitter in the Yankees lineup to date in Trent Grisham to end it.
Should the Yankees lose this series, many will -- and already have -- directed their ire at Boone, who is no stranger to coming under fire for bullpen decisions. Not to mention Boone decided to sit both Chisholm and Ben Rice out of the starting lineup in Game 1.
Game 2 will feature Carlos Rodon, an 18-game winner this season, going up against the Red Sox Brayan Bello. Yankees need a win to even up the series and play on on Thursday.
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