The Yankees made the most of their Wild Card series by taking down the Red Sox, but Aaron Boone still doesn’t seem locked in on a set lineup. So, just as fans were buzzing about who would get the ball for Game 1 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays, Boone threw a curveball by naming a starter who wasn’t even in the Wild Card mix. Someone who had taken down the Blue Jays successfully last month.

Reportedly, Luis Gil will take the mound on Saturday, and it’s worth noting he’s had success against Toronto before. If you remember, back on September 6, he held them to just one run over six innings in the Bronx. And guess what—it’s not just the rotation getting shaken up, but Boone hinted that more changes could be coming.

“Luis Gil is starting Game 1 for the Yankees. Boone says there could be other roster changes for NY, ahead of Blue Jays series,” MLB insider Mitch Bannon quoted the Yankees skipper.

So why Gil over the other arms Boone had at his disposal? Well, the reason is simple. His fastball-slider combo is built to rack up strikeouts. And against a Blue Jays lineup that can crush mistakes, Boone is banking on Gil’s swing-and-miss stuff to ease some of the pressure on a bullpen that’s been under the microscope all week.

It’s also worth remembering that Gil missed the entire first half of 2025 with a lat strain suffered in spring training. And since coming back in August, though, he’s been sharp: 4–1 with a 3.32 ERA and 41 SOs…

Boone also confirmed that Max Fried will get the nod for Game 2 on Sunday, while Game 3’s starter is still up in the air. And the rotation isn’t the only question mark. The bullpen could see a shakeup, too, especially after Luke Weaver’s rough showing in the Wild Card series. Here, the Yankees have a decision to make… stick with the veteran despite his struggles, or mix things up to better handle a Blue Jays lineup that pounces on mistakes.

Aaron Boone’s roster decisions are still receiving heat

Although the Yankees took down the Red Sox threat in the Wild Card series, Aaron Boone’s roster decisions are questionable. For instance, nobody really knows why Aaron Boone kept Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of the Yankees’ Wild Card Game 1 lineup. But in Game 2, both were back, and they made him look bad for sitting them.

Notably, Rice wasted no time, blasting a two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone. And Chisholm dazzled in the seventh to save a run and later scored the game-winner, hustling all the way from first on an Austin Wells single. So, you can imagine how fans tore into Boone for leaving them out of the opener.

Then came another head-scratcher of pulling Max Fried. Reportedly, in Game 1 against the Red Sox, Fried had been cruising, keeping the Yankees ahead. But Boone yanked him and turned to Luke Weaver, a move that swung the momentum hard in the other direction.

Now, with reports of more lineup shakeups still trickling in, Boone seems unfazed by the criticism. Certainly, he’s sticking with his belief that constant shuffling is the key to getting the Yankees through the ALDS. Do you think they can do it? Let us know in the comments.