The division series between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals in the 2024 MLB Playoffs has been full of excitement since its inception. After the Royals’ victory in Game 2, an interesting debate arose between Yankees manager Aaron Boone and star player Jazz Chisholm Jr. regarding the reasons behind Kansas City’s success.

Chisholm, known for his outgoing personality, attributed the Kansas City Royals‘ victory to luck, suggesting that the Yankees had more scoring opportunities but simply couldn’t convert them. “We had a lot of missed opportunities tonight, so they just got lucky,” he said, according to SNY.

In a post-Game 2 press conference, Aaron Boone rejected the notion that the Royals’ victory was merely a product of luck. The Yankees manager acknowledged the Royals’ strong performance, both offensively and defensively, noting that they executed their game plan effectively.

“I don’t think they got lucky. I think they did a lot of really good things and came in here and beat us last night. … I think what [Jazz] was referring to more was probably that we did hit into some tough luck and had some hard-hit balls. That line of questioning continued to where Jazz can be colorful sometimes. In his mind, because of the confidence he has in us and our group, he thinks they got lucky. But I don’t believe that was the case,” Boone said.

Chisholm and his confidence in the Yankees

Chisholm expressed his confidence that the Yankees still had control of the series and was asked if he felt the ALDS was different after Game 2 compared to Game 1: “It still feels the same that we’re going to win it. I don’t feel like anybody feels any different. We still don’t feel like any other team is better than us.”

The importance of the Yankees’ mindset in the MLB Playoffs

Boone and Chisholm’s statements highlight the importance of mindset in the 2024 MLB playoffs. Boone shows great respect for the opponent and recognizes their strengths. On the other hand, Chisholm demonstrates the confidence he has in his team and their ability to overcome obstacles.