While calling NBA game, Yankee announcer Ryan Ruocco questioned Aaron Boone’s World Series strategy

Ryan Ruocco was on the call for Friday night’s NBA game between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, calling the game for ESPN. One of Ruocco’s other gigs became part of the broadcast during the game.

Ruocco also calls MLB games for the New York Yankees on the YES Network. The Yankees, like Russo, were in Los Angeles on Friday, taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series. That game ended on a walk-off grand slam from Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. After Freeman’s game-winning grand slam was shown on the video board at crypto.com Arena, the ESPN broadcast showed the reaction of Suns guard Bradley Beal.

“Oh, he spanked it. Game. Freddie Freeman,” Beal said.

Ruocco then got creative in his second-guessing of Yankee manager, Aaron Boone.

“You think Bradley Beal was wondering why Nestor Cortes was in there and not Tim Hill?” he asked.

“No,” analyst Richard Jefferson replied. “But you are, as a Yankee guy.”

Ruocco was not the only person to wonder about that.

You bring Nestor in who hasn’t pitched in a month over Tim Hill who has been an absolute dawg in the playoffs. Bonehead Boone back at it again

— Gehrig Dieter (@GehrigDieter) October 26, 2024

Tim Hill has been nails for you all postseason and you go to a guy who hasn’t pitched in weeks. That’s Aaron Boone. #Yankees

— Brian Rappaport (@BRappy55) October 26, 2024

Why not Tim Hill right there? I think it’s unfair for Nestor to even be in that spot!

— Cameron Maybin (@CameronMaybin) October 26, 2024

The second-guessing comes from a solid place.

Cortes’ primary advantage over Hill is that he’s a better strikeout guy. We can’t say that’s completely insignificant because it’s always nicer to get a strikeout than having to rely on defense. That said, the situation Cortes was entering — runners on first and second base with one out — was not a classic “strikeout situation.” Any two outs would have been fine.

Hill, on the other hand, had two big advantages over Cortes. One, Cortes is a starting pitcher. Sure, starting pitchers often pitch out of the bullpen in the playoffs. That said, they usually start innings or at the very least, are not inheriting runners. Hill, a career relief pitcher, is used to inheriting a jam.

Two, and more to the point, Cortes is coming off of an injury and before Game 1, hadn’t pitched since Sept. 18. Hill, on the other hand, has been used a lot. Not only did he pitch in every ALCS game against the Cleveland Guardians, but he’s arguably been Boone’s best reliever in the playoffs.

So, all things considered, Ruocco’s point was a fair one.

[Photo Credit: ESPN]