AL DIVISION SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 14, 2022

Aaron Boone

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. With the rainout, understanding both sides have to deal with it, but are you at all concerned about the bullpen knowing you could potentially play four straight games?

AARON BOONE: No. No. We are kind of über-focused on today and trying to go out and get a second victory and hopefully Nestor gets us off to that start. Each day is new and different and you make the adjustments you need to do.

But no, not even thinking about that right now.

Q. What was it like coming to the ballpark today, getting ready for a big game in the ALDS knowing that you have Nestor on the mound and the way your ballclub is playing?

AARON BOONE: You know, excited to go out there and compete again against a great opponent on what looks like a beautiful day. You know, all the anxious drive in, the nerves, the excitement, all of it, you try to embrace all of that. But yeah excited to get back out there and hopefully have another good performance.

Q. Is your plan to hold back Taillon and Germán in case of a Game 5?

AARON BOONE: No, they are both in play today. Yeah, we'll play it straight.

Q. Do you have to readjust that tomorrow if you don't use them today?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, of course, we'll have to make potential adjustments each day, but not looking at that right now.

Q. When you look at Cortes, you've seen plenty of guys who maybe have gotten too amped up in the playoffs, and the adrenaline has gotten away from them. Why is or isn't that a concern for you with Cortes?

AARON BOONE: I mean, he's never pitched in the postseason, but I trust in who he is and his makeup, and I know he's going to go out there and compete really well. Like that's what he does really well is he loves to play the game. He's super competitive, and I know he won't be afraid. He'll take it head on and kind of let the chips fall where they may.

But he's ready to go. He's prepared and you know, hopefully that results in a another strong outing for him.

Q. Now that you've lived through it a little bit, is this two games in nine days a detriment, is it okay? Obviously you have to live with it.

AARON BOONE: It's fine. It's fine. Enough of that question. We are ready to go. We were prepared for Game 1 with the layoff. Take advantage of the rest and we are ready to roll.

Q. In Game 1 whenever you brought in a reliever, you had another one starting to warm up. Is that how you plan to do it in this series or were you just trying to stay aggressive in Game 1?

AARON BOONE: I think you always have to have guys ready to go. Gerrit pitching into the seventh inning put us in a good spot to where we could be aggressive in a few hitter lanes that we like certain guys. Gerrit put us in that position to be able to do that how we wanted.

Q. Higashioka hit so well down the stretch. What are the factors that led you to start Trevino in both of the games so far?

AARON BOONE: I just think Trevi has kind of emerged as you know, the one. Although I still kind of consider him 1A and 1B, but you're right, Higgie has played well and swung the bat well down the stretch, and we have a lot of confidence when he's back there and he's going to be back there at some point. Just feel like Trevi is the way I wanted to go again today.

Q. Just curious with the day off yesterday, did you casually watch the Astros and Mariners? Did you have any interest in that?

AARON BOONE: Of course. Yeah, I mean, I watched pretty much that whole game actually, switching between casually and intently. But good baseball game and two really good teams going at it and obviously Jordan has wrecked things both days for the Mariners. But that's two very good teams going at it right now.

Q. Just because Oswaldo is still relatively new to the outfield, even though he's played really well there, was changing him out for defense late ever part of your discussion going in? You didn't the other night. Has he just showed you that you don't need to?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, that; he showed us. Discussed it a little bit. But yeah, feel like he's the guy we want out there right now. He's earned that with how he's played.