The New York Yankees attended the Little Leagues tournament in Williamsport, Pennsylvania hours leading up to the series finale against Detroit Tigers. However, the players left the rubber game stress off their shoulders for a while as they spent quality time with the kids and signed autographs.
Meanwhile, once the dust settled, the New York Yankees struggled in the series finale against the Tigers. With 1-0 lead, closer Clay Holmes imploded in the ninth inning which pushed the game into extra-inning. However, despite the relief pitcher’s blown save, manager Aaron Boone refused to hold him accountable and rather backed him wholeheartedly.
Aaron Boone To Retain Clay Holmes Despite Record Blown Saves!
New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes bagged his second career All-Star selection earlier this year for a sensational start to the season. In the first two months, he recorded a scoreless streak of 20 games and collected 16 saves with a 1.48 ERA. However, shortly after, Holmes dug a hole for himself with unacceptable regression. Since June, the pitcher collected only 10 saves as his ERA soared up to 4.00. In a latest flunk, Holmes allowed the tying run in the ninth inning to the Tigers, which forced the series finale into an extra inning where the Tigers won the ballgame with a 3-2 scoreline. With the 10th season blown save, Clay Holmes is now leading MLB in most blown saves.
However, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone remains confident in Clay Holmes’ abilities and potential to turn things around. The skipper emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence in his players, especially those who have previously shown they can perform at a high level. Moreover, he believes the pitcher’s stuff was on point. “He looked really sharp. I thought the sinker was good tonight; the slider was good,” Boone said. Hence, the manager is unlikely to replace Holmes in the bullpen for now. While he has options at his helm, Boone firmly believes Clay is his guy as he throws well consistently. Needless to say, the manager’s comments suggest that he views Holmes’ issues as temporary and fixable rather than a sign of a deeper problem. Regardless, the Yankees will need Holmes to find his groove if they hope to make a deep postseason run.
Fans Unhappy With Yankees Inaction On Clay Holmes!
Meanwhile, the Yankee fanbase has had enough of seeing Clay Holmes blow saves consistently. After the blowout against Detroit Tigers, fans expected accountability from the pitcher and the skipper. However, the New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone irked the wrong nerve of the fans when he confirmed Holmes retention as team’s closer for the rest of the season.
As soon as Aaron Boone’s comments on Clay Holmes were out, the Yankee fans lashed out at the New York Yankees manager. Some believe that Yanks lack of accountability is what will keep the franchise from winning a world series. Blindly backing poor performers won’t help the Bronx Bombers’ championship aspirations, said the outraged fans on the internet.
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