What Aaron Boone said after the Yankees secured a spot in the World Series

Q Why was tonight the right time to take Giancarlo Stanton to the mop-up spot?

AARON BOONE: I don't know, it's just what I felt last night. For example, as much as they had to use their pen, I know that Mistress is probably at the bottom of our lineup when they get to that spot.

But he had to do it a lot, and I just felt like it was the right thing to do tonight.

Q They talked about Giancarlo's preparation and his importance to the team behind the scenes. But what makes him different when he's actually in the box?

AARON BOONE: First of all, he can hit harder than anyone. So the physical nature of what he does is unlike almost anyone else in the world.

But he's just incredibly disciplined, his approach, his process, the way he studies guys. One thing that we've talked about a lot over the years, one thing that we noticed early on in the first couple of years with the Yankees, one thing that we noticed, like he studied a little bit upstairs, he studied more than most, seeing pitchers again and again has real advantages. So I think he processes what he does – when he's in front of people. He has shown in his career that he benefits more than anyone else.

There is something he does when he is not only very physically gifted but also becomes familiar with people.

Q You said last night that you would consult with your coaches and backup players before determining what the bullpen moves would be. What is the status of your bullpen before the game?

AARON BOONE: You can't cover for us.

We'll see. We'll see. We're fine. I'm not going to tell you who's available and who's not available, but we'll go through that and see what we can put in there tonight.

Q Going back to your previous comment about Stanton and gaining knowledge about a pitcher, do you think there is a learning curve over the course of an at-bat?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, I think part of it too is that he's disciplined about doing a certain thing, so sometimes he'll take one bad thing, but that doesn't necessarily affect the next one, or it's just, hey, he was looking for a specific thing in a specific place.

But I think he translates what he experiences better than most.

Q How did you know that Mark Leiter Jr. had walked Stanton after bunting and there was first base open?

AARON BOONE: I didn't.

Q Just move on and take advantage of the opportunity?

AARON BOONE: Yes.

Q This year the teams are currently stronger compared to 2022. Tim Hill should not be part of the starting lineup, Mark Leiter Jr. and Hill. What does it say about the overall overall player development system, the overall package, that is currently available to you?

AARON BOONE: Yes, you go back to spring training, break camp and imagine your team going out there. But there are always going to be There are always these surprises.

I talked to these guys on the first day of camp, like you're sitting here right now thinking, oh, I probably won't be at the big club this year or whatever. You may find yourself in the batter's box or on the mound in the biggest moment of the year, so try to prepare for that.

Then there are always the trade deadline X-factors that come into play. But even the other moves, like acquiring Tim Hill and Jake Cousins, who have become really important parts of our bullpen, have been scrapped in some ways by other organizations.

You never know how everything will turn out. You never know how the injuries will affect you and create opportunities for other people. That's why we try to prepare people as much as possible for moments like this all year round.

Q What have you seen from Anthony Volpe's offense, particularly in the postseason?

AARON BOONE: Excellent. Excellent. I go back to – I felt like his work week before the Royals series, the five days I felt like, yeah, this is what we're looking for, and he carried those at-bats.

I feel like the consistency of his shots has been excellent throughout the postseason so far. Regardless of whether he got a result on a given day, he has good shots. It was great to see him and he is one of the main reasons we are here.

Q What would it mean for you and your team to punch your ticket to the World Series tonight?

AARON BOONE: I mean, it's obviously a goal of ours, but try not to be too hasty about it. It's get ready for BP here, get ready, get ready for this game and hopefully go out and get it tonight. But you just try to stay in the moment as best you can.