Yankees manager Aaron Boone emerged from the dugout in the seventh inning of a 2‑1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, unsure whether to pull ace Gerrit Cole after a leadoff walk by Mookie Betts. Boone consulted Cole for a quick check; the pitcher said he still had energy, which convinced Boone to stay the course.

Cole's outing was a near‑perfect start: eight strikeouts, one walk, and a season‑high 103 pitches over six innings. He faced a potent Dodgers lineup, but a misstep came when Max Muncy hit a go‑ahead homer off Cole’s slider, giving the Dodgers the lead in the 2024 World Series rematch.

The rest of the night saw Roki Sasaki, with a 5.33 ERA, keep the Yankees’ offense in check, while designated hitter Ben Rice nearly tied the game with a double off left‑hander Alex Vesia. Grisham’s daring run, allowed by a mis‑throw from Mookie Betts, ended in a dramatic play that sealed the Dodgers’ victory.

Boone reflected that he might have made a different decision and that the choice “falls on me.” The game highlighted the fine line managers walk between trusting a pitcher’s stamina and protecting the team’s lead.