New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone imitates an umpire calling strike three after arguing with home plate umpire Laz Diaz during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHICAGO (AP) – New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the most of his AL-leading sixth ejection this season during a 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
Boone was booted by plate umpire Laz Diaz after Anthony Volpe was called out on strikes against Chicago reliever Bryan Shaw to begin the eighth inning. After he was thrown out, Boone ran to home plate and went into a theatrical, arm-waving display.
The manager bent down and drew a line in the dirt with his finger at the edge of the left-handed batter’s box, demonstrating where he thought the pitch was, and then mimicked Diaz emphatically calling strike three.
Volpe was caught looking at a sinker that actually appeared to nip the outside corner. But frustration had built up for the Yankees, who left 13 runners on base and struck out 12 times. They were handed eight walks by White Sox pitchers and still mustered only one run.
“I was pretty upset,” said Boone, tossed for the 32nd time in his managerial career. “I just think there were a ton of pitches all night.”
“It’s not about the umpiring,” he added. “We’ve got to capitalize.”
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