Joe Torre gives Yankees' Aaron Boone some World Series advice

After leading the New York Yankees to six World Series appearances, Joe Torre knows a thing or two about what Aaron Boone is about to go through. So what advice does Torre have for the Yankees' current skipper?

“I remind managers who they are and how to use their experience in the game,” Torre said when the New York Post's Dan Martin asked him what advice he’s offered Boone. “I know we get into all the analytics and information — especially this time of year — but I tell them not to give up on their instincts. That’s what got them here. You never want to not use that.”

And so far Boone’s instincts have been mostly correct. He followed his gut on a cakewalk through the American League playoffs, only losing two games on the way to the World Series.

Boone’s intuition led him to replace struggling closer Clay Holmes with Luke Weaver. A serviceable but unremarkable pitcher before he joined the Yankees, Weaver took to the ninth inning like a duck to water, posting a 2.61 ERA, 12 strikeouts and four saves in eight games.

In another instinctual move, Boone trusted Anthony Rizzo when he said he was ready to play in the ALCS despite his recently broken fingers not being fully healed. The risk paid off, as Rizzo slashed .429/.500/.500.

But Boone has also benefitted from playing much weaker opponents than the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason so far. The Kansas City Royals snuck into the playoffs as a wild-card and got nothing from Bobby Witt Jr. in the ALDS. The Cleveland Guardians were known for their outstanding bullpen heading into the ALCS, but their top relievers fell apart.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, put up the best regular season record in baseball and went through the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and company are, arguably, a far more intimidating than José Ramírez, Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan.

No matter how good Boone’s gut is at making decisions, it can’t take the mount and shut down Los Angeles’ lineup or hit a big homer off the Dodgers’ hurlers. 

Boone may be wise to call up Torre and ask for some more tangible guidance during the series.