The Yankees brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the eighth inning on Tuesday night, and Aaron Boone pulled Isiah Kiner-Falefa in favor of the long-struggling Joey Gallo.
Gallo immediately fell behind 0-2 before striking out to end the threat.
“You got [Adam] Ottavino in there, who is obviously a tough righty,” Boone said after the 6-3 loss. “It’s not about getting a hit in that situation, it’s about getting on. And you’re u against it with two outs, taking a shot at a long one there.”
Gallo has had his best month of the season, but has still struggled mightily for nearly all of his pinstriped tenure. Kiner-Falefa is hardly an offensive force himself, but was working on a multi-hit game while nursing a 13-game hitting streak, but Boone also wanted to force the Mets to bring in Edwin Diaz in hopes that he would tire in the ninth if the Yanks staged another rally.
“Forcing their hand to at least get the closer in there for a four-out situation,” Boone explained. “It’s not tying run on second, it’s ‘We need two runs.’ Otto is tough against righties, to me it was an on-base situation, and I think Joey gives us a shot at that.”
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