Aaron Boone Responds to Joe Kelly's Comments Slamming Yankees After Dodgers Win

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 11, 2024

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When Aaron Boone took the job as New York Yankees manager, he was well aware it would come with its fair share of criticism. However, his contract being picked up following a late-inning collapse in Game 5 of the World Series means he doesn’t have to pay much attention to it.

After the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Yankees in a five-game World Series, Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly voiced his criticisms on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast. Kelly criticized several aspects of the Yankees’ performance, from their relatively easy path to the postseason to their lack of fundamentals in the World Series. The Dodgers capitalized on six unearned runs over the five games, while the Yankees failed to score any.

BIB on the Go: Joe Kelly Isn't Letting Up On The Yankees
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"We were saying it every single game, just let them throw the ball to the infield," Kelly said. "They can't make a play."

Boone responded to Kelly’s remarks, admitting that he was "a little bit" bothered by the criticism of his team.

"A little bit," Boone said on Monday when asked if he was bothered by the criticism. "The bottom line is, we didn’t play as well as we could’ve. Obviously, we had a tough inning in Game 5. So, that’s the ultimate disappointment. I try not to get too caught up in what other people are saying or doing, especially when it comes from certain places."

Aaron Boone says he was bothered "a little bit" by Joe Kelly's criticism of the Yankees pic.twitter.com/2w7OrOnwsB

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In Game 5, the Yankees made two errors in the fifth inning, which allowed the Dodgers to erase a 5-0 deficit and tie the game at 5-5. One of the key mistakes came from pitcher Gerrit Cole, who failed to run to first base after a ground ball hit to first baseman Anthony Rizzo. This mental misstep allowed Mookie Betts to reach base on a single and extended the inning.

The Dodgers went on to win, 7-6, and Kelly became a free agent shortly after.

The 36-year-old appeared in 35 games for the Dodgers in 2024, finishing with a 4.78 ERA, 35 strikeouts, and 16 walks over 32 innings. However, Kelly missed the postseason due to a shoulder injury.

Boone will return as the Yankees’ manager for an eighth season after the team exercised his 2025 club option on Friday.