AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 5, 2026

Aaron Boone

Tropicana Field

New York Yankees

Pregame 2 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Aaron.

Q. Aaron, obviously, tough one for the offense in Game 1. How do you go about getting back on track?

AARON BOONE: Obviously, got to do a better job. Rasmussen was terrific. I thought he executed so well. Along the way, we squared some balls up. We've got to do a better job, obviously.

Freddy, another guy with a really good fastball, really good change-up. We've got to take advantage when we get pitches to hit, which we're going to get, and we've got to score some runs, obviously, to support Cam tonight.

Q. What leads you to believe this offense can bounce back quickly?

AARON BOONE: I feel like for the better part of much document, we've had our struggles offensively at different times, especially middle of the season this year. I feel like over the last month, month and a half of the season, a number of guys have really started swinging the bats a lot better. Trust that we're going to continue to do that and go out there, have a good game plan against Peralta and hopefully get to him a little bit.

Q. Why do you think Cam is built for moments like this?

AARON BOONE: I don't know, but he is. So, look, he's going to go out there with a ton of confidence and, look, you never know what a result's going to be in a given game, but he's certainly equipped to handle it.

So I don't worry about anything with him as far as going out there. He'll be motivated. He'll be excited to have the ball and, obviously, we want the ball in his hands. So hopefully he gets off to a good start tonight, but he's got a ton of confidence and fearless in these spots.

Q. Obviously, same lineup as the other day. Curious about McMahon at 3rd. Is that purely platoon setup or is there something that you like from Caballero off the bench that he brings there that is a particular asset that wouldn't get started?

AARON BOONE: Yeah, there's definitely a versatility element there with Cabby, whether it's going really to any position defensively, whether it's -- like, obviously, G leading off there, if he gets on, it's a pinch-running situation. There's a lot of things that Cabby brings to the table.

That said, we get a lefty in these series, with Rosie, I'm gonna start him at 3rd, probably. Felt like this was the way I wanted to go.

Q. Aaron, I think it was yesterday you talked about Spencer and George. Could you talk about what Luis and Ramos brought to the club when they came over? I know their production was a little more uneven, but what they brought. Also, if you could comment on how different a team can look at the end of a long season.

AARON BOONE: Yeah. I think in Luis' case, he was really a shot in the arm we needed because at the deadline, we were really struggling offensively. And he came in and gave us instant presence and you see the way he impacts the ball. He's got great bat-to-ball skills.

I think as a sport, I think he's -- we saw a guy come of age as a really, really good hitter in this league. I think you're starting to see a guy that's probably going to hit for a high average and hit 30-plus home runs every year for the next several. He's that kind of hitter.

Fit in right away with the group, did a really good job defensively at first base. Obviously, an infielder in his past and feel like that could even be in play moving forward in coming years. He's done a really good job at first base.

Heliot came in, another guy that really fit in with our group really well. He struggled a little bit out of the chute. It was still we were trying to find our way offensively a little bit. And Bellinger was out so he was -- was having to play in tough match-ups. We were in a stretch where we faced 20, 25 righties in a row. It was ridiculous. As soon as we started seeing some lefties, I think it was the Red Sox series, whenever that was, early September, late -- I don't -- he kind of went off and we ended up winning three out of four that series and a lot of it was Ramos doing real damage against the lefties. Swung the bat well for us where he was getting into good match-ups.

He had to run out there every day kind of in the middle of the order in not great match-ups when we first got him. He's done a really good job for us. He's fit in. He's an important part of this team. If we're going to go on a long run, he's going to play a big role for us.

Q. Second part of the question, how important is it to add pieces in a long season and how different a team can look at the end.

AARON BOONE: Yeah, look, you go through Spring Training and you go through the first three months kind of identifying, getting a feel for your club, and it starts to kind of come together and crystallize what you need going into the deadline where, hopefully, you're in a situation to go add pieces.

I think those guys were two very important adds for us and, hopefully, plays out that way moving forward this month.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Aaron. Appreciate it.