Aaron Boone Says Clay Holmes Was Only Available for ’Emergency’ in Loss to Guardians

The Yankees manager explained his decision not to use his most reliable reliever against the Guardians on Saturday night.

Cleveland rookie outfielder Oscar Gonzalez hit a 1–2 pitch off New York reliever Clarke Schmidt in the ninth inning of Saturday night’s Game 3 to lead the Guardians to a 6–5 comeback win and 2–1 series lead in the ALDS.

The Yankees entered the ninth inning with a 5–3 lead before their bullpen blew the game. The bullpen collapse and ultimate loss marked the first time the Yankees lost a playoff game after entering the ninth inning with a multiple-run lead. Before Saturday night, the Yankees were 167–0 in that scenario.

Yankees fans were incensed on social media after the game, wondering why manager Aaron Boone didn’t turn to reliever Clay Holmes, who has been one of New York’s most reliable bullpen arms this season. 

Boone addressed it in his postgame press availability.

“No, no,” Boone said when asked if Holmes was available to pitch. “I mean, he was down there available, but we felt like it was … you know, we were putting him in a tough situation.

“I mean, part of the thing with him being available for this series, was not really in a back-to-back situation yet. He just hadn’t thrown [anything] live or anything. So while he was pretty good today and I fully expect him available tomorrow, it just felt like we needed to stay away there.”

When asked if there was any potential scenario where Holmes would pitch Saturday night, Boone said, “It was more of an emergency situation.”

Many Yankees fans would have considered Saturday night’s ninth inning an “emergency situation” given how poorly the bullpen was pitching, leading some to speculate if Holmes had returned too soon after recently coming off the injured list with a shoulder strain. 

Boone said Holmes had normal soreness and “nothing [the Yankees] were alarmed at.”

The Yankees will now head into Sunday looking to stave off elimination in Cleveland as they now trail the best-of-five series 2–1.

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