Yankees' Boone: Decision to stay with Cole 'falls on me'

Yankees manager Aaron Boone took full responsibility for the team's 2-1 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. The decision to keep starting pitcher Gerrit Cole in for the seventh inning proved costly after a Mookie Betts walk and a subsequent home run by Max Muncy allowed the Dodgers to take the lead.

Boone had a plan to bring in left-hander Brent Headrick to face the left-handed-hitting Muncy, but the manager chose to check in with his veteran ace first. Cole insisted he had more in the tank, leading Boone to keep him on the mound. Seven pitches later, Muncy sent a slider into the second deck for the go-ahead score.

Despite the outcome, Cole turned in a high-quality performance. Making his 10th start since returning from Tommy John surgery, he struck out eight batters and allowed just one walk over six innings. He consistently challenged the Dodgers lineup, demonstrating the durability the team needs as they move into the second half of the season.

The Yankees struggled to generate offense throughout the game against Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki. Their lone run arrived in the fourth inning after a Jasson Dominguez double and a subsequent passed ball. With key hitters Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton out of the lineup, the team could not rally in the later innings, falling short even after an aggressive attempt to tie the game in the eighth.

Boone acknowledged the tactical error in the post-game assessment. While the decision to rely on a veteran pitcher is standard practice, the manager admitted that the result makes the choice clear in hindsight. He noted that despite the strength of Cole's outing, he likely should have handed the ball to the bullpen to neutralize the matchup.