Boone: Yankees to get ‘creative’ with closer role
ARLINGTON, Texas — Clay Holmes won’t be the automatic choice as the closer for the New York Yankees in the short term after giving up a game-ending grand slam to the Texas Rangers for his major-league-high 11th blown save this season.
Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the club will consider several options, Holmes included, while continuing to support the two-time All-Star coming off a rough outing.
Rookie Wyatt Langford‘s grand slam followed a single by Carson Kelly and consecutive walks to Josh Smith and Marcus Semien, giving the Rangers a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night.
“In the short term, we’ll kind of just get a little creative with it,” Boone said before the series finale against the Rangers. “I feel like he’s throwing the ball really well in a lot of ways. Last night it was certainly a little off and they got to him. But the reality is he’s really not that far off from being the dominant guy we know he can be.”
Langford fouled off a full-count slider to stay alive before hitting a hanging 85.8 mph slider 407 down the left-field line.
Holmes’ blown saves — which have come in 40 chances — are the most since Dave Righetti had 13 in 1987, tying the Yankees record set by Goose Gossage in 1983.
Boone stuck with Holmes after the right-hander’s previous blown save Aug. 18 against Detroit in Major League Baseball’s Little League Classic. Holmes had five scoreless outings with three saves before the loss to the Rangers.
The closer-by-committee decision from Boone came with the Yankees in a tight race with Baltimore for the best record in the American League and the AL East lead. The Orioles were a half-game ahead to start the day.
Right-hander Jake Cousins has a save and a 2.73 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 30 innings. Luke Weaver, another right-hander, is second to Holmes in appearances with 54 and has finished seven games. Left-hander Tim Hill is 3-0 with a 2.34 ERA in 27 relief outings but has just 13 strikeouts in 34⅔ innings.
Rookie Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, both coming off the IL, could be developed into closing options.
“Trust a lot of guys,” Boone said. “Just how it matches up is kind of how we’ll go. And that’s how we’ll go into every night. I feel like there’s a lot of guys down there throwing the ball well and capable.”
Holmes spent time in Boone’s office before the game.
“Just kind of checking in and making sure, kind of giving him my thoughts on certainly the short-term look at things,” Boone said. “But also just making sure he’s good and seeing where he’s at. The thing about Clay is, he’s such a solid person and has such a good foundation. It’s why I think he handles this role so well, the ups and downs that inevitably go with it, the pressures that go with it.”
The Army–Navy game will be honored as the recipient of the 2025 National Football Foundation’s Distinguished American Award, the NFF announced on Wednesday in conjunction with the College Hall of Fame.
The prestigious award recognizes an outstanding person or entity who has maintained a “lifetime of interest in the game and, over a long period of time, has exhibited enviable leadership qualities and made a significant contribution to the betterment of amateur football in the United States.”
The Army-Navy game was first played on Nov. 29, 1890, and remains one of college football’s oldest and most storied rivalries. The official recognition is Dec. 9 during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at the Bellagio Resort & Casino.
“Few traditions in sports capture the heart of a nation the way the Army-Navy Game does,” said NFF president and CEO Steve Hatchell. “For more than a century, the game has transcended football, reminding us of the values of sacrifice, unity and service. It is a timeless celebration of young men who are not only great athletes but also future leaders of our military, willing to defend our freedoms. The game’s history, pageantry, and enduring significance make it more than a rivalry — it is a national treasure, to be honored, protected, and respected.”
Navy leads the series 63-55-7, and Baltimore will host the Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets this year. The rivalry is played on the second Saturday of December, unopposed by any FBS or NFL game.
“Every December, the Army-Navy Game becomes one of the most powerful scenes in all of sports,” said NFF chairman Archie Manning. “Two fierce rivals play their hearts out for 60 minutes, and then, side by side, they stand together to honor each other’s alma maters. It’s a vivid reminder that while they compete on the field, they are united in a higher calling to serve our country. Honoring the Army-Navy Game with the Distinguished American Award is a recognition of not only a tradition, but of its importance to our country.”
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Adam Rittenberg
Texas A&M safety Bryce Anderson avoided “catastrophic injury” after being taken to a hospital for testing following a serious collision in Saturday’s game at Notre Dame.
Anderson returned to campus with the team following the game and is continuing to recover from the incident, which took place late in the first half of Saturday’s game when his head collided with Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon on a 25-yard passing play.
The senior from Beaumont, Texas, initially lay motionless on the field, and medical personnel spent about 10 minutes attending to him before stabilizing his neck and carting him off. Texas A&M said later Saturday that Anderson had feeling in all of his limbs.
“We are thankful to report that no catastrophic injury was found,” Texas A&M said in a statement Wednesday. “Bryce is in great spirits, and our focus now is on supporting him through his recovery.”
Aggies coach Mike Elko said the team expects Anderson to return at some point later this season.
“It was a blessing to have him on the plane with us,” Elko said. “It was obviously great for all the boys to see him. It was great that that we kind of skated through what could have possibly been a really, really bad situation. He’s still in the process of recovering, and so hard to kind of gauge a timeline right now, but we do expect that we’ll have him back at some point.”
Anderson has 10 tackles this season. He has 116 career tackles with two interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and eight passes defended.
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