Moments before the first pitch Friday night, the Yankees were informed that the Red Sox were having trouble with their PitchCom technology, and an announcement was made that neither team would be able to use the pitch-calling devices until the situation was resolved.
Yankees starter Jhony Brito and manager Aaron Boone refused to blame the late change on what happened next — both said it was more about pitch “execution” — but the Red Sox scored seven runs in the first two innings on their way to an 8-3 victory at the Stadium.
“Interesting timing right there, and not an ideal situation, obviously, right before you’re getting ready to throw the first pitch,” Boone said after the Yankees’ sixth straight loss. “It’s certainly not something you’re expecting right out of the shoot, but [Brito and catcher Ben Rortvedt] have to get together right there.
“Obviously, everyone uses [PitchCom] now, but catchers and pitchers have been doing it [the other] way their whole lives.”
Asked specifically if he believed the late notice was gamesmanship by the Red Sox, Boone added: “I don’t think so. I was told the techs were down there working on it, so I wouldn’t think so. I would think they’re safeguarded against that.”
According to Boone, the teams were informed after the second inning that the technology would not be used for the remainder of the game.
Still, the 25-year-old Brito surrendered four runs through the first four batters of the game, including a three-run homer by cleanup hitter Masataka Yoshida on a changeup over the middle of the plate.
“No, no, I wouldn’t say it was an issue with the PitchCom. I just think the execution of my pitches tonight could be better,” Brito said through an interpreter. “They were ready to swing tonight.“I would say [it was my] changeup. I felt like it was up in the zone a lot throughout the night and they were able to connect.”
Brito had pitched well in his previous outing, with five innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 loss Saturday at Miami.
But the 25-year-old righty coughed up three more runs in the second inning on RBI singles by Rafael Devers, Justin Turner and Yoshida. Ian Hamilton replaced him with the Yankees in a 7-0 hole following a double by Reese McGuire in the third inning.
in the Yankees’ loss
“Catchers, in the last two years, we haven’t put down fingers in a long time, unless that situation occurs,” Rortvedt said of the late PitchCom switch. “We didn’t get notice until warm-ups, so it was something I had to go out and go over with him. … For the most part, we thought we had our game plan solid. There was just a little different flow to it than we’re used to.
“But I didn’t think much of it,” he added. “It was just kind of weird so close to first pitch and we had to totally change our game plan. It was just such late notice.”