Yankees: 3 mistakes Aaron Boone can’t make for rest of playoffs

2. Trying to Steal Outs With Bad Relievers

The remaining playoff teams are too good for Aaron Boone to try to steal outs with relievers he doesn’t trust.

We get that MLB’s unrelenting playoff schedule has made managers jobs all the more difficult, as bullpens will be pushed to the absolute limit. However, that still doesn’t excuse Boone for trying to steal outs with weaker relievers in the name of preserving bullpen arms who have his full-blown trust.

We hate to point fingers at one pitcher, but Jonathan Loaisiga is the first hurler that comes to mind who fills that bill. The 25-year-old righty’s number was called in the rollercoaster that was Game 2 against Cleveland, and he faltered to the tune of conceding one run and walking two batters while recoding just one out.

That game obviously wasn’t a must-win for the Yankees, who took Game 1 in convincing fashion, so Boone clearly felt that using Loaisiga in the middle innings would save his big guns for later in the game, or have them be fully rested for a potential do-or-die Game 3.

Fast forward to Game 2 of the ALDS, and the third-year big leaguer once again shrunk in the spotlight after coming in relief of Adam Ottavino, letting his charged runner to score before allowing a solo home run to Austin Meadows in the sixth inning, which extended Tampa’s lead to three runs.

Again, we don’t feel right putting Loaisiga on blast, as a handful of relievers are in the same boat as him. However, his ineffectiveness out of the bullpen of late serves as a prime example that proves Boone should table the strategy of trying to steal outs with average relievers.