The New York Yankees enter Thursday night teetering on the edge of embarrassment, desperately trying to avoid a sweep by the Detroit Tigers.
They’ve been outscored 23-3 over the first two games, a jaw-dropping collapse that has exposed both their bullpen and their bats.
The Bronx crowd, usually raucous and unrelenting, has been eerily quiet—like a theater audience watching a once-great actor forget his lines.
Manager Aaron Boone knows this can’t continue, so he’s chosen to shake things up , tossing caution aside before it’s too late.
Boone turns to Slater for a spark at the top
Austin Slater will get his first start since August 4, leading off in a bold lineup gamble by Boone.
Slater had been sidelined with a strained left hamstring until very recently, but the Yankees hope his disci