Why were the Yankees not allowed to use PitchCom in game vs Red Sox? Manager Aaron Boone annoyed with 'timing' of the decision

The New York Yankees were beaten at home by the Boston Red Sox 8-3 on Friday due to some lackluster pitching at the start by Jhony Brito. However, manager Aaron Boone placed part of the blame on the non-availability of the PitchCom system.

The PitchCom system has been in use in the league since 2022 as an effort by the MLB to take steps to avoid sign-stealing. After the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, the league was keen to avoid such situations in the future.

The Astros' 2017 roster was guilty of tracking opposing pitchers before their pitch with the help of cameras positioned directly behind the mound. This was then relayed to the dugout and helped batters in predicting the type of pitch that was coming.

In order to eliminate such problems, the MLB introduced PitchCom, an electronic device worn by pitchers and catchers in order to relay their choice of pitch. This has been effective as it has reduced the time between pitches and reduced any chances of sign-stealing.

However, much like any other form of technology, it has its own glitches. On Friday night, it was the Boston Red Sox whose PitchCom issues prevented them from using it.

This triggered the MLB to ask the Yankees to avoid using the technology as it would have given them an unfair advantage. As per manager Aaron Boone, the Yanks were only made aware of the issue a few moments before the game:

“Interesting timing right there, and not an ideal situation, obviously, right before you’re getting ready to throw the first pitch,” Boone said

PitchCom situation is no excuse for ailing Yankees

Jhony Brito conceded four runs on 13 pitches before getting a single out in the game. This brought major boos from the fans in the Yankee Stadium who were frustrated during his 2.1 innings of pitching.

The Bombers conceded seven runs in the first two and never recovered as the Red Sox took a series-opening win.