WATCH: Aaron Boone takes a couple of swings at BP with Ben Rice’s bat during Yankees session
The New York Yankees, after losing their series with the Baltimore Orioles, faced the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. The Friday night game began their three-game series with the Braves.
The Bronx Bombers were warming up during batting practice before the game when manager Aaron Boone joined them. Boone took the bat from Yankees rookie Ben Rice and stepped up to the plate to demonstrate his batting skills.
Here is the video of the moment shared on X/Twitter by SNY TV’s Yankees videos:
Boone was wearing a black t-shirt with the team’s logo and pinstriped pants. He took his stance and hit several pitches before returning the bat to Rice.
The Yankees are coming off of two terrible losses to the Orioles, one 7-6 and the other 17-5. The team’s troubles seemed to be continuing as they struggled and lost 8-1 to the Braves.
Yankees pitching falters early losing 8-1 to the Braves
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon took the mound and pitched for almost four innings, giving up all the runs the Atlanta Braves needed. He allowed eight runs on 11 hits with two walks, while striking out three, raising his ERA to 3.86.
Rodon recorded 56 strikes out of the 93 pitches he threw. Although after he left the mound, Yoendrys Gómez and Phil Bickford did not allow any runs to the opposing team, the Bronx Bombers' offense was unable to catch up to their lead.
In the second inning, DJ LeMahieu grounded out on which Jahmai Jones got the chance to score a run for the Yankees. The Braves' pitching staff only allowed a run on three hits and three walks while striking out 12 batters.
"Tonight was more of a struggle in and around that. This is part of it. It's been a rough week for us. That's part of it. In a lot of ways, not the worst thing to happen. I gotta make sure in a lot of areas, we are tightened up and everything is kind of going our way,” Aaron Boone said.
The Yankees (51-27) leading the AL East will face the Atlanta Braves in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday.