Five pitches into Monday’s game, Aaron Boone was ejected in one of the most bizarre ejections I have ever seen. The New York Yankees were playing the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium. This was the first game of a four game home series for the Yankees.
While Aaron Boone has been known to lay into an umpire every now and again, this was the one time where he probably didn’t deserve to be ejected. Boone started chirping at home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt during the top of the first inning. Boone started complaining after Oakland A’s hitter, Esteury Ruiz, was hit on the foot by Yankee pitcher Carlos Rodón’s slider leading off the game.[1]
Boone thought that Ruiz swung at the pitch, thus negating the fact that Ruiz was hit.[2] However, John Tumpane, first base umpire, ruled that the batter did not swing and could take his base.[3] Boone was not happy with this call, and continued yelling at Wendelstedt. After one more pitch, Wendelstedt was sick of getting chirped at by Boone and ripped his mask off and warned Boone that if he continued, he’d be thrown out.[4]
Boone reluctantly quieted down and agreed to stop. However, as Wendelstedt put his mask back on and turned around to continue the game, a fan behind the Yankees dugout yelled something out. Immediately Wendelstedt turned around and ejected Boone. In an uproar, Boone charged out to Wendelstedt and began pleading his case that he didn’t say anything. Boone tried reasoning that it wasn’t him that said anything, but a fan who was sitting directly behind the dugout.[5]
Boone pointed to the fan who made the comments and told Wendelstedt that “it was above our dugout.”[6] Boone exclaimed, “I didn’t say anything! I did not say anything!”[7] Wendelstedt did not care what Boone had to say. In fact, Wendelstedt was heard on camera saying, “I don’t care who said it, you’re gone.”[8] Boone left the game, and bench coach Brad Ausmus took over as manager for the game.
During post-game interviews, Boone referred to the decision by Wendelstedt to eject him as embarrassing. Wendelstedt was also interviewed, and he told the media that he heard something come from the far end of the Yankees dugout. Wendelstedt proclaimed that he did not want to try and figure out who said it or have to eject a player, so instead he just ejected Boone.[9] Wendelstedt further explained that Boone is the manager and is responsible for what happens in his dugout.[10]
Boone has since said that he has had multiple conversations with Mike Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, about the situation. While the ejection is not appealable, Hill assured Boone that he would not be fined or punished further for the ejection.
[1] Yankees’ Aaron Boone ejected 5 pitches into game vs. Athletics | AP News
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Aaron Boone ejection: Umpire doubles down after throwing out Yankees manager, but video tells different story – CBSSports.com
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.