New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was fined and suspended for one game by Major League Baseball on Friday after a recent string of ejections.
Boone was ejected for the fourth time this season, and second time in four days, on Thursday in their loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He was fined an undisclosed amount, and will serve his suspension on Friday night against the San Diego Padres.
“It’s happened a few times this week and I’d like to not get ejected, and hopefully I can start a long streak of not getting ejected,” Boone said Friday before learning he was suspended, via ESPN. “I’m not necessarily afraid to, but no, it’s not my intent to get ejected, and I don’t want to, and hopefully I won’t for a while.”
Boone was ejected in the third inning of the Yankees’ 3-1 loss to the Orioles while arguing with home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso over the strike zone. Boone clearly thought that Moscoso had missed at least four calls, and may have actually spit on him during their heated discussion.
At one point, crew chief and first base umpire Chris Guccione had to stand between Boone and Moscoso after Moscoso tried to walk away.
“I shouldn’t have been thrown out of that game.” Boone said Thursday night, via The Associated Press. “I was very calm, didn’t do much at all. And then Gucc was holding me back and just telling me — so I didn’t need to be restrained. The dismissive attitude in walking away, I took exception to.”
The ejection came after Boone was ejected in the first inning of their 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Boone went to argue with the umpires after a review overturned what was initially ruled a foul ball and turned it into a double, which gave the Reds a run.
While his string of ejections isn’t great, Boone doesn’t think it’s going to have a negative impact on his team in the long run.
“I think I’ve earned that reputation,” Boone said, via ESPN. “Do I think it’s leading to a quick hook? Not necessarily. I think last night was quick, but that could be a one-off. Maybe I’m delusional and that I did more than I think … I think [umpires] come in for the most part with a blank slate. I do think there is probably the occasional bias that exists. We’re human beings and I’m sure certain people don’t like hearing from me or whatever.”
The Yankees enter Friday’s game against the Padres, the first of three, with a 30-22 record. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games.