Yankees manager Aaron Boone. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone lost his mind over a balk call by the home plate umpire, getting ejected in the process.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was incensed over a balk call against pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga. It got him ejected.
The home plate umpire tossed Boone for complaining about the balk he called in the seventh inning with New York holding a tenuous 1-0 lead.
Was Boone right to lose his mind over the call? You be the judge:
It’s easy to see why Boone was so angry. It wasn’t a particularly blatant balk. It certainly didn’t have to be called. It also came after an error, setting the Royals up with the tying run on third. Boone’s desperation was no doubt wrapped up in that sequence of events.
Aaron Boone got ejected for arguing a balk call against the Royals
The consequences of the situation came almost immediately. Kansas City’s Ryan O’Hearn hit a sacrifice fly into right field to send Jarrod Dyson home. The balk definitely mattered in the end.
Loaisiga was able to get out of the inning with no further damage. However, New York’s lead was already gone and their manager was sent out of the dugout.
Aaron Judge hit an RBI single in the top of the eighth to restore the advantage. However, Andrew Benintendi answered to draw even in the bottom of the eighth.
A home run from Luke Voit put the Yankees on top once more in the top of the ninth, but the Royals stormed back yet again.
Every result matters to New York right now. They are 2.5 games out of a wild card spot thanks to a hot streak with eight wins in their last 10 going into Monday night’s outing.