NEW YORK — Late in Sunday night’s game and with the teams in a scoreless tie, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone thought starting pitcher Luis Gil was in a good position to take on Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers for the third time.
But the decision to leave Gil in backfired. Devers smoked a seventh-inning solo home run that eventually led to a heartbreaking 3-0 loss at Yankee Stadium.
“Felt like he was in a good spot,” Boone said.
With one out, Gil got ahead 0-1 on the left-handed Devers, who was 0-for-2 against him so far in the game. But Devers worked the count to 2-2 before delivering the knockout blow — a 373-foot shot to left-center field off a 98.8 mph fastball left thigh-high and over the plate.
The blast was a gut punch.
Rafael Devers breaks the tie on #SundayNightBaseball! pic.twitter.com/3IUgciv9dh
— MLB (@MLB) July 8, 2024
Gil had pitched so well, rebounding from three terrible starts. The 26-year-old stayed in to face Connor Wong, who flied out, and finished his night having allowed just a run over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked none, giving up four hits while throwing 96 pitches.
Boone said there was “a little debate” in the dugout to remove Gil and allow reliever Luke Weaver, who was warm, to face Devers.
But the manager said he decided against making a move because Weaver and Gil feature “similar profiles” in the way they pitch. Also, entering the night, Devers was 4-for-8 with a double in his career against Weaver.
Did Boone think about taking out Gil after he pumped a 99.2 mph fastball for strike three against David Hamilton with a runner on second base to end the sixth inning? After the feat, Gil screamed and pounded his chest three times. In the seventh, Gil started the inning getting Tyler O’Neill to ground out just before Devers’ heroics.
“Not after the sixth,” Boone said. “ … Definitely wanted him to go out and face the righty (O’Neill) and at that point we’re right in the game, too, and I felt like he was throwing the ball so well and (he could) kind of shorten the game with Weaver not having necessarily a full clip tonight.
“The way Luis was throwing the ball, and where he was, I felt very good about him, as long as he didn’t lose O’Neill or get erratic with O’Neill or show signs of (decline), which I didn’t think he was.”
Boone said the Yankees did not consider intentionally walking Devers, who went on to hit another solo shot in the ninth inning off reliever Michael Tonkin. Ceddanne Rafaela, the No. 9 hitter, added a home run in the eighth inning off Weaver.
For the Yankees, it was their 16th loss in 22 games, and it meant they wouldn’t win a series for the seventh consecutive time.
Gil was asked how difficult it can be to face Devers, who is hitting .293 with 21 homers, 55 RBIs and a .971 OPS in 290 at-bats. The third baseman also homered off ace Gerrit Cole when he faced him for the third time on Saturday in a 14-4 Yankees win.
“If I’m able to execute pitches,” Gil said via the Yankees’ team interpreter, “I feel like I have a pretty good chance of getting guys out, regardless of who the batter is.”
He added that he was still ready to pitch after the sixth inning.
“That’s a team decision there,” he said.
(Photo of Rafael Devers: Gregory Fisher / Icon Sportswire via Associated Press)
