Gerrit Cole, Aaron Boone miscommunication emphasizes very real Yankees problem

Manager Aaron Boone has been a point of contention for New York Yankees fans. While it's certainly valid to suggest that he hasn't been the problem holding the team back since 2018, there's definitely an argument to be had that he doesn't elevate the offering, nor does he "do more with less." In fact, often times, he does less with more.

You'd also think by this point Boone would be somewhat media-trained, but his interviews have remained underwhelming, unclear, dishonest, and devoid of detail. He regularly gets into unnecessary arguments on the Talkin' Yanks podcast when presented with very real issues that he chooses to deny. He's somewhere in between "Players Guy" and "Company Man", and we don't really know how that's possible.

This isn't just a problem with Boone, either. It's an organization-wide one. Few players give energizing and lively interviews. Last October, Aaron Judge commented on the team's questionable use of analytics, and not too long after it came out that the front office went over the coaching staff's head by providing data to players without notification.

This theme has persisted in some fashion in 2024, with Boone continuing to "play the matchups" through September despite evidence to the contrary. The stubbornness with Clay Holmes remaining in the closer role. The refusal to give Anthony Volpe a day off. In some way shape or form, that comes down to communication and strategy.

And those two pillars of the game failed the Yankees on Saturday in a 7-1 loss to the Red Sox with Gerrit Cole on the mound. Apparently, Boone and Cole discussed issuing intentional walks to Rafael Devers, who absolutely murders Cole, in "some situations." After hitting Devers with a pitch in the first inning, Cole was tasked with facing Devers again in the fourth inning with one out and nobody on.

To that point, Cole hadn't surrendered a hit. The lone baserunner across the first 3 1/3 innings was Devers on that HBP. But with the Yankees leading 1-0 and Devers at the plate (and he was 1 for his last 11, by the way), Cole wasted no time intentionally walking the Red Sox slugger.

That, apparently, was not part of the plan. And then the responses that followed were absolutely wild, and they eventually led to some harsh finger-pointing from Boston manager Alex Cora, a famous agitator whose lone success on his ledger comes with a massive asterisk due to cheating allegations. Why are we giving this guy more a reason to talk? Can we please shut him up once and for all?

Gerrit Cole, Aaron Boone miscommunication emphasizes very real Yankees problem

How is there not an aligned front here in terms of the "strategy"? The Yankees have been facing Devers since 2017. Cole's been facing him since 2020. The Yankees' insistence on pitching to Devers up until Saturday was absolutely maddening. They've opted to develop zero strategy for nearly seven years. They've had the better part of five years to figure one out with Cole, specifically, who's been victimized to the tune of a .350 batting average, eight home runs, and 20 RBI in just 16 games vs Devers.

Of course, the average baseball bystander would say, "Classic Yankees fan energy to complain about Cole not intentionally walking Devers and then still complain when he finally does!" Except there's more nuance to it. Nobody was legitimately asking to walk Devers every single time he stepped to the plate. Yes, walking him in certain situations is necessary, but how about pitching around the guy once in a while? Why does Cole continuously serve him up 96 MPH fastballs in the zone? The issue is a complete lack of strategy, and then the execution of a questionable, ill-advised one when the team finally bends and recognizes it's time for a change. Cluelessness all around.

So what was the plan? Why are we getting two different answers from two of the most important people on the team? The Yankees still don't understand that failed execution and a haphazard vision are going to prompt endless questioning and criticism from the media. And it's a major problem with just two weeks before the postseason as this team is about to endure what could be a franchise-defining stretch.

The Yankees have spent far too much time "experimenting" in September of this year when they needed to nail down their best baseball. Waiting to demote Holmes (or at least use him differently) represents one of those issues. Calling up Jasson Dominguez eight days after telling the world there was no lane for him on the MLB roster is another. Benching cleanup hitter Austin Wells vs lefties until the noise got too loud was a frustrating one, too. Giving DJ LeMahieu everyday reps through August before essentially phantom ILing him when the decision to lessen his playing time should've been made long ago.

And now the manager, pitching coach and $324 million pitcher aren't on the same page in regards to how to attack a singular hitter on a team that's probably not going to make the playoffs? This is a lesson on how to effectively erase any and all momentum after three straight electrifying wins that finally reinvigorated the fan base after months of lackluster play.

Back to the drawing board ... unless the Yankees want to punch the Sox in the mouth on Sunday.