Yankees' Aaron Boone Explains Decision to Stick With Gerrit Cole in Loss to Dodgers, 'Falls on Me'

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone conceded he should have pulled Gerrit Cole earlier from his Friday night start against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cole had already thrown 96 pitches when he ran into trouble in the top of the seventh inning by walking leadoff batter Mookie Betts.

"I was feeling the situation out," Boone told reporters after the game. "Obviously, in hindsight, probably should have grabbed him there."

Boone decided to keep in Cole, who allowed a two-run homer from Max Muncy on his season-high 103rd pitch. The Yankees went on to concede a 2-1 loss.

Boone came out to speak to Cole on the mound before allowing him to face Muncy rather than calling for relief pitcher Brent Headrick.

The Yankees manager said he asked Cole at the point if he had "one more" in him and that Cole responded, "Yeah."

Boone said he ultimately decided to listen to Cole because he "felt like [Cole] was competitive back in the Mookie bat."

"I've got Headrick teed up there," Boone said. "It's probably, that's on me. I should probably get him there, even though I felt like he was in a good place, and obviously threw the ball great tonight... that falls on me."

Cole told reporters after the game he appreciated Boone's faith in keeping him in the game deeper into the seventh.

"It's nice to push the stamina, get back out there for another hitter and keep going for it, keep competing," Cole said. "That's a great learning opportunity physically."

The Yankees remain 2.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East lead despite Friday's loss.

With Max Fried and Carlos Rodón ramping up activities in hopes of returning from injury, Boone could be hoping a deeper starting rotation will take some pressure off Cole down the stretch.