AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 22, 2022

Aaron Boone

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Houston Astros - 5, New York Yankees - 0

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Aaron.

Q. Lack of offense yet again. An issue for you guys tonight. Just one hit through eight innings. How do you wrap your head around what's been going on with this offense this series?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, obviously frustrating day. It felt like we had some pitches within there with Javier to do some things with and just fouled some pitches off. I thought there were some good at-bats sprinkled in there. But obviously just not able to mount enough.

Q. That error wound up being costly there in that second inning. What exactly happened between Judge and Bader?

AARON BOONE: I think Aaron called it pretty early, having a beat on it and then Harrison came in late and was calling it also loud, so I think by the time he gave way, he was kind of in front of him, might have shielded his vision a little bit. When it's loud like that, I think he probably got shielded out a little bit.

Q. We all know what you guys have to do to win here. How do you turn this around starting tomorrow?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I mean, we have to. We got to just, I mean, it starts with simple as winning pitches. We got to -- and then start stacking together quality at-bats to put ourselves in a good situation. Whether it's a big key hit, some slug, whatever, we just need to get a little bit of a spark and something to bounce our way and try and grab a lead and play with it a little bit.

Q. You used Trivino there. Was there any thoughts of Loáisiga or someone like that?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I mean, yeah, you know, I was hoping to get Gerrit through that. I felt like he threw the ball incredibly well. I got Trivino up just in case he needed some help there with the bottom righties that we liked him against. But obviously it turned out it didn't work for us.

Q. It seemed like there was some hesitation maybe in taking Cole out there, that you maybe checked on him. Was there something going on?

AARON BOONE: I was just holding up. I wanted to make sure Trivino had full time, and I wanted to just -- I sent Trevy out just to make sure I had some time and I wanted to have some eye contact there is all.

Q. The Astros are undefeated in the postseason. Are they that good?

AARON BOONE: I mean, they're really good. Obviously, I think it starts with their pitching, the starters they're able to run out there, coupled with a lot of really good arms out of the bullpen. But we got to find a way, and it starts by trying to grab one tomorrow.

Q. So much of this season your offense went as Judge went. Do you think that's happening again? And can you win unless Aaron Judge gets real good real quick?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, well, I mean, obviously, he's the biggest force and key in our lineup, so we need to get something from him. But that said, to win these games you need a little something from everyone. Sometimes that can be something small, sometimes it can be something big, sometimes it can be something unexpected.

But we have people going out there that are certainly capable of. A handful are struggling a little bit right now, but we got to find a way against a very good pitching staff.

Q. I know it's difficult to exactly quantify this, but how much of your offensive struggles do you think are on your hitters and how much is because Houston's pitching has been so good?

AARON BOONE: I mean, I don't know. It's a really good pitching staff. We got to find a way right now. We know what we're up against. We know what they're capable of. So whether it's taking advantage of those times you do get a mistake or at certain times going and hunting down and trying to take a strength away of theirs in a certain situation and really look for and attack a certain pitch in a situation, we got to find a way. So however you want to analyze it. I mean, we got to find a way right now.

Q. When Aaron is booed after the strikeouts, you got a few boos during the introductions, is there bothersome or is that just understanding knowing the expectations?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I mean, we're trying to win a game. We're in the American League Championship Series. You can't get caught up in that.

Q. What was it that you were seeing from Gerrit in that bases loaded situation that made you feel that Trivino was the better option there?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I was just, with us struggling to obviously put some points on the board and down a couple already, I felt like Mancini had some good at-bats against him already, three consecutive guys getting on there. And I just felt like maybe we could get some soft contact or put 'em on the ground.

But part of my hesitation was maybe we get the strikeout ball here too, and then we can go to him and try and put the ball on the ground in that situation where we're really up against it. Part of the deliberation was because I thought Gerrit just threw the ball so well today.

But ultimately, I decided I wanted to go to Trivy there and just, again, where we're down a couple and can't really let any more, just hoping for some weak contact or a ball on the ground.

Q. There's no way to know this, but do you wonder at least if that home run chase tired Judge out on any level, that it's a challenge for him right now?

AARON BOONE: I mean, I don't know. I think everyone's, it's that time of year, especially when you've played a full season, everyone's played, everyone's a little tired. But you're playing for everything right now and that kind of helps make the tired go away a little bit.

Q. You specifically mentioned you wanted to make eye contact with Cole before taking him out. Why?

AARON BOONE: I just wanted Trevy to go out there and get with him and I wanted to pause and more I was just making sure I was buying time for Lou.

Q. With as good as how the offense was in the regular season has it been at all surprising to you with how little production you've gotten through these three games?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I mean, we need to do more if we're going to win, obviously. In baseball and small snippets, especially when you're up against really good pitching, if you're not really on top of it or really executing at a high level, these things can happen when you're up against a great pitching staff. So that's the nature of the postseason. But we can't, I keep saying we got to find a way. We do. I mean, it's no time to sit here, but it's a small snippet right now and we got to find a way. And again whether that's taking advantage of mistakes, swing decisions and then picking our spots where we try and go and take away one of their strengths.