If you thought the introduction of automatic ball-strike systems would keep Aaron Boone from getting ejected, think again.
The Yankees’ manager received his first ejection of the season during Thursday’s 11-4 loss to the Angels. This occurred late in the game when home plate umpire Will Little tossed Boone after he insisted on a balk call.
“I still don’t quite get it, because I thought I was being pretty calm. They were, I guess, a bit overly sensitive,” Boone reflected. He initially stepped outside to talk to Little in the eighth inning and then approached him again near the end of that same inning.
“I wasn’t trying to argue. I just wanted to understand their reasoning. I’d like a clearer explanation moving forward. It seems like a fair play to me,” he added.
At that point in the game, which stood at 7-4, first base umpire Ryan Addington called a balk on left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. Yarbrough had attempted to throw to first base with runners on first and second and two outs.
Boone mentioned that initially they thought Yarbrough was actually trying to pick off the runner and that everything seemed within the rules. However, he expressed frustration over the lack of clarification regarding why Yarbrough was penalized.
“Will explained it to me behind home plate, and I felt I could have articulated my perspective better at the time,” Boone noted, pointing out that he led the AL in ejections for the past five years. “So I went directly to talk with Ryan. [Crew chief Lance Barksdale] really needed to step in there.”
As for the team’s pitching, Gerrit Cole is set to resume play in Double-A Somerset on Friday, potentially making his way back to the Yankees in about a month if all goes well.
The plan is for Cole to fully focus on his recovery instead of having the Yankees start the season with less experienced pitchers throwing more innings.
“It’s a step-by-step situation,” Boone mentioned. “We’re eager to see him out there on Friday, and we’ll manage his workload carefully even when he returns.”
Pitchers typically have a rehabilitation period of 30 days, meaning Cole’s last potential day for rehabilitation would be May 16. However, he has the option to extend this period if necessary as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Meanwhile, Carlos Rodon is projected to return just before Cole. His recovery from elbow surgery was slowed due to hamstring issues. He’s slated to take live batting practice on Saturday, after which he may begin a rehab assignment likely involving multiple games, potentially rejoining the team in the second week of May.
Oswaldo Peraza, having impressed against his former team, went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs during the series. This follows his earlier 3-for-3 performance that included a home run and a walk.
“He’s shown a lot of what we were excited about a couple of years back,” Boone said. “He’s had his share of tough seasons since then, but he’s clearly talented and seems to be in a solid position now.”
In another lineup note, Ryan McMahon, usually the starting third baseman, didn’t play during Max Fried’s start for the first time this season.
Boone opted for Amed Rosario on a day the Angels were using a bullpen game, despite expressing a desire for McMahon to take the field, especially since Fried typically generates a high number of ground balls.
Additionally, the automated ball-strike system posed challenges for the Yankees during the game, notably affecting Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham, who both attempted to argue for calls that didn’t go their way.
