LOS ANGELES — Whereas the Yankees repeatedly tried to downplay all of the hoopla surrounding their World Sequence rematch in opposition to the Dodgers this previous weekend, Aaron Boone did concede a caveat concerning the collection’ significance.
Requested about younger gamers getting a style of a playoff-like setting — all three video games had a paid attendance of greater than 51,000 folks — earlier than the actual factor, the supervisor stated that these matchups do make a distinction.
“I think they’re beneficial, yes,” Boone stated. “We speak about these collection — the Subway Sequence, clearly coming right here and taking part in the Dodgers — the completely different large collection that you simply face in the midst of the 12 months.
“We kind of do treat them all the same, but I think there’s benefits for our players to play in these environments and these hyped-up series and things like that.”
Final 12 months, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells and Luis Gil began as rookies or second-year gamers, and every performed an element within the Yankees’ run to the World Sequence. Nevertheless, Jasson Domínguez, Ben Rice and Will Warren principally watched the playoffs from the bench or at house.
That trio impacted this previous weekend’s collection in opposition to the Dodgers, although not all contributions had been optimistic with the Yankees dropping the primary two video games.
On Sunday, a 7-3 Yankees win, Rice struck the largest blow of the sport, a two-run homer to straightaway heart off Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Domínguez, in the meantime, had an RBI single off the Japanese ace earlier than exiting with a thumb harm.
Warren, nonetheless, delivered one of many worst begins by a Yankees pitcher this season on Saturday, permitting seven earned runs over simply 1.1 innings in an 18-2 Dodgers beatdown. Afterward, he vowed to make use of the poor efficiency as a studying expertise.
“I’m gonna let it soak in,” Warren stated. “It hurts. It sucks. I let the team down.”
Whereas Warren crumbled on Saturday, Boone didn’t suppose the second bought to the 25-year-old rookie, who noticed his velocity spike as his command lacked. Moderately, the skipper attributed the poor begin to an absence of execution and a proficient opponent.
“Being off against that team, they’re going to make you pay for it,” Boone stated. “I think it’s more that. He’s faced a lot of growing moments in his big league career. He’s already, in his early big league career, got it handed to him. He’s pitched well in some big spots. So he’s got a lot of ability and he’s already grown a lot as a pitcher here in these first couple months of the season. I expect that to continue.”
There’s an opportunity that Warren received’t be within the Yankees’ postseason rotation, however gaining big-game expertise within the common season received’t damage him — or another Yankees teenager — as soon as October rolls round.
After all, there’s a number of baseball left to be performed earlier than the Yankees — and Dodgers — have to start out desirous about the playoffs and a possible rematch within the Fall Basic.
For now, the Bombers are simply pleased to have escaped a highly-anticipated common season collection with a win.
“Nice, happy flight home,” Rice stated. “It feels good to kind of salvage the series there and just take that momentum into the next one.”
