With the Yankees on the brink of elimination, the team’s former third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, has a warning — don’t blame manager Aaron Boone.
In an appearance on WFAN’s midday show hosted by Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata, Rodriguez implored the Yankees front office and analytics department to explain themselves.
“And I just feel that Boone is a mouthpiece, and he’s a wonderful manager, and I don’t think he should be fired,” Rodriguez said, via Audacy. “I think he has an incredible future, but he’s been dealt a very, very tough hand, and he has to answer for front office decisions that he’s not making.”
Rodriguez points to the Yankees team he played with between 2004 and 2016. For much of his tenure there, there was minimal movement, and players got to learn how to play with one another.
Now, rosters are constantly changing, and managers are having to speak for the decisions of what Rodriguez calls “bean counters” or analytics people.
“I think sometimes the data and analytics teams get so involved and so in the weeds,” Rodriguez continued. “Man, you just need to have someone who gives you 6-7 innings, give me a bullpen, give me someone that can catch the ball; Some good contact, some good timely hitting, hit behind the runners. But you’ve got to get back to playing the game of baseball, teaching the game of baseball, and stop depending on iPad.”
The Yankees are down 2-0 in the best-of-5 AL Division Series to the Toronto Blue Jays. They will look to force a Game 4 tonight at Yankee Stadium. If they can force a Game 5, they’ll head back to Toronto for an elimination game.
Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón will start tonight. He will face veteran right-hander Shane Bieber, whom the Blue Jays acquired at the trade deadline.
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