Aug. 8 (UPI) — The New York Yankees’ tumultuous season continued with manager Aaron Boone taking the American League lead in a hapless statistic during a loss to the Chicago White Sox: ejections.
Boone was booted for the sixth time this season during the 5-1 setback Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. He ran onto the field to argue a strike-three call in the eighth inning.
“We were kinda getting on him all night, for good reason,” Boone told reporters, when asked about his exchange with home plate umpire Laz Diaz. “The ejection was warranted. It was in his rights to do that I think.”
The White Sox led 2-1 to start the top of the eighth. Shortstop Anthony Volpe settled in to face relief pitcher Bryan Shaw.
Shaw started the exchange with an 83.5-mph slider for a called strike. Volpe swung and missed on the next offering. He then fouled off a cutter.
Shaw then issued a 94.7-mph sinker for his 0-2 offering, which ended up low and outside in the strike zone.
Boone darted out of the dugout and confronted the home plate umpire. He stood inches from Diaz’s face as he hurled expletives at the umpire. Boone also used his finger to draw in the dirt before he got behind home plate and pretended to be the umpire, mimicking his strikeout call.
Boone told reporters “I hope not,” when asked if he could be suspended for his tirade. He also said “Laz did his part in keeping me out there.”
The Yankees went on to allow three runs in the bottom of the eighth en route to their 55th loss.
White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the victory. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. went 1 for 4 with a two-run double.
White Sox starter Dylan Cease allowed just one hit over 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Yankees starter Gerrit Cole allowed five hits and four runs over seven innings.
Boone, who was tied with White Sox manager Pedro Grifol with an AL-leading five ejections before Monday, is now tied with Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell for the most managerial ejections in MLB. The Yankees manager led MLB with nine ejections in 2022 and tied former Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin for the American League lead with six ejections in 2021.
His 32 ejections rank 53rd all-time. Longtime Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox is the all-time leader, with 162 career ejections.
The Yankees (58-55) sit in last place in the American League East, 12.5 games behind the first place Baltimore Orioles (70-42). They will battle the White Sox (46-68) in the second game of the series at 8:10 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Chicago.
