On Friday versus the Blue Jays, Aaron Boone was ejected for the 50th time in his managerial career. It’s fair to question if this feat or milestone is worth celebrating. Applying this situation to the real world, it would essentially be like getting to verbally abuse the health inspector as they walk through your restaurant with little repercussions. However, in the baseball world, choosing to take a stand and get tossed has long been viewed as a good way to “get the boys fired up” over the course of a long season.
Hitting number 50 places Boone in a tie for 25th all-time, albeit a far cry from Bobby Cox’s top mark of 162, and further builds on his tally as the Yankees all-time leader. Some of these ejections stand out more than others for their entertainment value. In the most American way possible, without condoning workplace bullying but still using it for my entertainment, I have selected the five most entertaining hooks of Boone’s managerial career.
5. The Phantom Menace (April 22, 2024)
In perhaps the most absurd ejection on Boone’s list, and maybe in baseball history, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt threw Boone out just five pitches into the game after a weird hit by pitch and check swing question. The ejection caught everyone off guard as Boone was standing silently when the hook came. The actual chirping was coming from a fan sitting directly behind the Yankees dugout. Boone reacted in complete, animated bewilderment as this ejection had to stand despite his innocence.
4. The Rookie Goes Viral (August 31, 2018)
In his rookie year as manager, Boone established his penchant for theatrical flair, or getting his money’s worth if he was going to get sent to the showers early. After screaming at umpire Nic Lentz, Boone dropped into a catcher’s crouch behind home plate to show the umpire how he was being tricked by the catcher, further mocking the umpire’s strike zone. Boone’s cap made contact with Lentz’s during the tirade getting Boone a fine and a suspension.
3. The Mimicry of Laz Diaz (August 7, 2023)
After being tossed by veteran umpire Laz Diaz, Boone didn’t just yell and stomp; he went full send. He repeatedly showed Diaz an imitation of his strike-three punch-out and getting all up in his personal space. Boone then channeled his inner Bob Ross and traced lines in the dirt to give us all our first preview of what ABS tracking would look like.
2. The “Savages in the Box” Rant (July 18, 2019)
Furious over rookie umpire Brennan Miller’s strike zone, Boone charged out, clapped directly in the umpire’s face like Regina George at a lunch table, and then dropped the line on a hot mic that his hitters were “f-ing savages in that box.” Also, shout-out Brett Gardner, keep bangin’ Brett!
This remains Boone’s masterpiece and made a lot of people in the Yankee sphere some extra coin. Even more importantly, another generation of East Coasters were given the ability to freely use the “F” word in public as a quote.
1. Boone vs. Miller Round Two (May 19, 2026)
Seven years after their legendary first encounter, Boone and Miller squared off again. Tension mounted early when Miller, positioned at second base, called Anthony Volpe out on a stolen-base attempt. Boone challenged, but the ruling stood after a lengthy replay review. Boone slammed his chewing gum onto the ground and spent the next half-inning barking expletives from the top step of the dugout.
The chaos peaked in the seventh inning when Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho made a diving catch that the Yankees suspected was trapped. Having already burned his lone replay challenge, Boone was entirely powerless to stop the third out. In a moment of pure, petty frustration, Boone looked out past the infield, locked eyes with Miller, and began shouting across the diamond.
Miller swiftly unleashed a massive hook, prompting Boone to sprint all the way out to second base for an explosive, nose-to-nose tirade. The sequel was personal. Old-school baseball theater.