Skip to main content
SI

Aaron Boone Accuses Umpires of Being Overly Sensitive After Yet Another Ejection

Boone has led the American League in ejections in five straight seasons.
Aaron Boone earned an ejection after arguing a balk call with home plate umpire Will Little.
Aaron Boone earned an ejection after arguing a balk call with home plate umpire Will Little. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In this story:

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has an impressive streak going. He has led the American League in ejections in each of the last five seasons. With the implementation of ABS challenges, there figure to be fewer points of conflict between skippers and umpires this season, so it will be quite a task for those prone to getting the ol' heave-ho to match their typical production.

Boone got on the board with his first ejection of the season on Thursday late in New York's 11–4 loss to the Angels when he went out to get some clarification about a balk called on Ryan Yarbrough. That conversation did not prove to be too productive as home plate umpire Will Little sent Boone to the showers for his dissent.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Boone had some thoughts about how that went down.

“I still haven’t gotten good clarity, because of course they got overly sensitive when I was as calm as could be," he said.

“I wasn’t out there arguing, I just wanted to hear their explanation. I’m going to wait to get more clarity," Boone continued. "I think it’s a fine play.”

Too add insult to frustration, the play opened up a free base with Mike Trout at the plate so the Yankees walked the red-hot slugger. That move immediately backfired as Jo Adell launched a grand slam to put things entirely out of reach.

Umpires have never been under more scrutiny as technology now allows us to check their work in real time. And the challenge system on balls and strikes has been a good thing as more decisions are properly adjudicated. Yet tons of gray area—like balks—remains, so the arguments will continue.

With the loss, the Yankees fell to 10-9, good for second in the American League East. Los Angeles leveled its record at 10-10, a surprisingly competent start for a team with very low expectations. The alleged sensitivity came at the end of a thrilling four-game series that featured runs aplenty and Trout setting a record with five home runs over the span.


More MLB from Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Published | Modified
Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

Share on XFollow KyleKoster