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Boone unhappy with MLB, ESPN after schedule change negatively affects Yankees

Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport / Getty

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone used to work for ESPN, but the skipper isn't pleased with his former employer or Major League Baseball after a recent schedule change put his team in a tough spot.

A contest between the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, originally scheduled for the afternoon of July 8 in Toronto, was moved to an 8:05 p.m. ET start to accommodate ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" program.

The Yankees must then fly from Toronto to Baltimore for a doubleheader at Camden Yards the following day, with the first game beginning at 4:05 p.m. ET.

When the ESPN game in Toronto was mentioned to Boone as being locked in as a night game, he didn't take too kindly to the switch.

"Unlock it," he said, according to George A. King III of the New York Post.

Boone said he was hopeful the game would be changed back to its original 1:07 p.m. start time - perhaps with help from the Players' Association - but he isn't counting on it.

"I haven't heard anything new. Hopefully, it's still happening behind the scenes," he said. "Hopefully there is some pressure being applied because that is not good for the product on the field or the safety of our guys, having go from night game, flight and right into a doubleheader. Anybody who would argue with that is not being truthful."

Boone's Yankees have had to deal with multiple changes to their schedule throughout the season because of weather. Despite the adjustments being tough to handle, he says his team is going to continue to take things in stride.

"We handle it pretty well. You have to try to appreciate the day off now and re-charge the batteries and stay off your legs knowing we have doubleheader (Monday) and knowing we are going to Toronto after two games," Boone said. "Obviously, games are building up, but we understand it's out of our control. We will try and gain the benefits of having a day (off) right now."

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