Yankees manager Aaron Boone got tossed from Wednesday night’s game against the Angels after a contentious interference call involving Juan Soto. Boone’s fiery protest marks his third ejection this season and the 36th of his career.
In the first inning, with bases loaded and no outs, Giancarlo Stanton hit a high popup near second base. Umpires called an infield fly, but chaos erupted when Soto bumped into Zach Neto while trying to return to second base. The collision caused Neto to miss the ball. Second base umpire Vic Carapazza ruled Soto interfered with Neto, resulting in a double play and infuriating Boone.
Boone couldn’t hold back his anger, letting Carapazza have it. The ejection came swiftly. “I’ve never seen such a bad call in such a critical moment,” Boone later told reporters. Tyler Anderson and the Angels escaped the inning unscathed as Alex Verdugo grounded out.
Fans and analysts quickly reacted on social media. @YankeesFan123 tweeted, “Boone was right to be furious. Terrible call by the umpire!”
This incident mirrors a recent controversy in Chicago. White Sox manager Pedro Grifol had asked MLB for clearer rules on interference after a similar call affected their game against the Orioles. “This will happen again,” Grifol warned. “Teams are going to exploit these unclear rules.”
The Yankees, currently fighting for a playoff spot, can’t afford such questionable calls. Boone stressed the need for clarity post-game, saying, “We need consistency in these calls. It’s frustrating when such decisions can alter the game’s outcome.”
As the Yankees look to bounce back from this setback, fans can catch the next game with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET.
