Yankees Manager Reacts to Cora’s Firing

HOUSTON — Aaron Boone was making his way to the visiting dugout at Daikin Park Saturday night when he started hearing unsettling “whispers” about Alex Cora being let go.

At first, Boone was unsure about the validity of the rumors regarding the Red Sox manager, but he later confirmed the news, which still left him quite taken aback.

“I was pretty shocked,” Boone shared after the Yankees’ 8-3 victory over the Astros. “It was indeed surprising, and I think it caught us off guard, too. We’ll look into it more tonight.”

Boone, who has known Cora well since their days at ESPN, had just bumped into him at Fenway Park earlier that week during the Yankees’ win over the Red Sox.

However, just two days later, after the Red Sox trounced the Orioles 17-1 that afternoon to boost their record to 10-17, the team’s management undertook a massive shakeup, dismissing five staff members, including Cora and former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson.

“I have faith in [Cora]. He’ll do what he needs to do. He’s a great coach,” Boone remarked. “He’s smart and talented, so I’m certain he’ll find many opportunities.”

Moreover, the Yankees have now become the last major league team to place a player on the injured list this season. Reliever Angel Chivili was added to the 15-day disabled list due to discomfort in his right shoulder.

“I’ve been receiving treatment for the past few days because my shoulder’s been bothering me when I try to put on my shirt,” Boone explained. “Today I went out to see how it felt throwing, but it didn’t go well. He’ll probably return to New York for further evaluation over the next few days.”

Chivili last pitched on Sunday against the Royals, managing 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

His placement on injured reserve allowed fellow reliever Jake Byrd to remain with the team when Ryan Weathers was removed from the paternity list to start Saturday’s game. Byrd, who threw seven scoreless innings on Saturday, had been called up earlier but will now stay in the bullpen.

On a separate note, Boone watched Carlos Rodon’s first rehab start on Friday night and felt positive about the left-hander’s recovery from his October elbow surgery and subsequent hamstring issues last month.

“He looked really sharp,” Boone noted. “His stuff was solid, command was good. He worked on the curveball he added to his repertoire, and it looked impressive. I was encouraged by the 65 pitches he threw. It was another positive step in his recovery.”

Boone anticipates Rodon will need “probably a few more rounds” in rehab before he returns to the rotation.

Interestingly, Daikin Park, formerly known as Minute Maid Park, has been a daunting location for the Yankees in past postseason appearances, but recently, it seems they are enjoying their time there more. They’re on a roll, with an impressive record of 11-1 in their last 12 games played at this venue since September 1, 2023.