How Yankees’ Aaron Boone picks his lineups and who helps with decisions

Yankees manager Aaron Boone gets a lot of help before making up his mind on a lineup.

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone likens constructing his lineups to putting together a new puzzle every day.

Some are easier to make out, others not so much.

What can make this process tricky is his belief in splitting up his right-handed and left-handed hitters to create balance, especially for late in games to prevent situational relievers from facing a group of righties or lefties consecutively.

His new-look lineup on Monday didn’t work – the Yankees’ lost 5-1 to the Houston Astros in a Memorial Day matinee – but there was a lot of thought going into his decisions to drop slumping shortstop Didi Gregorius to the seven hole, which is as low as he’s been all year, and to move up rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres from his usual No. 9 spot to fifth, which is as high as he’s been.

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Part of the reason for the changes was Boone opted to give designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, his usual No. 3 or 4 hitter, a rest for just the second time this year.

What goes into Boone making out his lineup?

First off, they’re usually made up the day before so that regulars who will be getting off days can be forewarned and subs can begin mentally preparing for a start. Of course, game-day scratches due to a pre-game injury or illness can change this up.

Boone says that he makes out his next-day lineup in his office after games with bench coach Josh Bard at his side offering suggestions and critique. Also, Boone says that he runs possibilities through GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees’ analytics staff.

“I just kind of casually kick things around all the time with coaches, Cash, analytic people,” Boone said. “I’ll throw things out there all the time to get people’s thoughts or reactions. But generally speaking, the way I do it is I’ll go in after a game and usually Josh will come in with me and, ‘All right, is there anyone we want to give a day (off) to (tomorrow)?’ So that kind of starts it. ‘Now we are we playing?’

“And then we kind of get the 10 players – the nine players and the DH – that we’re going to put out there, and then I just kind of piece it together from there. Most days, obviously (the lineup) is pretty obvious. But I guess I get people’s thoughts casually all the time, and that probably goes into my decision-making process.”

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