Aaron Boone criticizes Blue Jays analyst’s remarks about the Yankees: ‘He’s mistaken’

Boone’s Confidence and Bellinger’s Progress

In Toronto, Yankees manager Aaron Boone shared his thoughts on the team’s enhanced infield defense during a media session ahead of the ALDS against the Blue Jays.

Boone expressed optimism, stating, “Contrary to some of the ideas here, we’re a really good team.” It seemed he was addressing more than just Blue Jays fans, likely reflecting on specific comments that had been made.

He referred to Blue Jays TV analyst Buck Martinez, who previously remarked on the Yankees’ performance. Martinez critiqued the Yankees, noting, “They have a lot of wild pitches. They make a lot of mistakes on the field and don’t run very well on base. If they don’t hit a home run, they don’t have a chance to win.”

Boone didn’t take kindly to those remarks, declaring, “He’s wrong. But that doesn’t matter. We have to play, and we have to play, just like everyone is doing this time.”

In another development, outfielder Cody Bellinger participated in batting practice, showing no signs of trouble from the left heel injury he had sustained during Thursday’s win against the Red Sox.

Boone mentioned that Bellinger had slightly aggravated the injury while running but reassured everyone, saying, “He’s fine. He should be good to go.”

Meanwhile, Blue Jays manager John Schneider has been quite assertive when it comes to guarding against Yankees star Aaron Judge, aware that fans are passionate about how he’s handled. “I got a lot of boos in New York, and if I walked him, I’d even be booed here,” Schneider acknowledged.

This season, Judge has drawn 15 walks from the Blue Jays, seven of which were intentional. When Judge swings, he’s been incredibly effective, with a .325 batting average, 1.118 OPS, and three home runs.

Under Schneider, the Blue Jays have intentionally walked Yankees hitters 17 times across 45 games, reflecting a strategic approach to containing their power. Schneider noted, “If there’s a way to limit the time he can swing and affect the ball, that’s a benefit to us, but there’s no set of rules to say when or not.”