Major League Baseball will look into the incident involving Aaron Boone, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, and a fan sitting behind the Yankees dugout on Monday. According to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the league routinely reviews “all ejections and unusual on-field circumstances.” They added that Boone’s ejection and “other circumstances would merit reviewing.” Wendelstedt ejected Boone after just five pitches in the Yankees’ Monday loss to the Athletics. The incident began when A’s leadoff man Esteury Ruiz got hit by a pitch on his back foot to start the game. As the slider grazed the center fielder’s foot, Ruiz also checked his swing. Wendelstedt then motioned toward first base umpire John Tumpane, who signaled that Ruiz did not swing. Boone believed Ruiz went around and requested that Wendelstedt check on the hit-by-pitch as well.The YES Network’s broadcast picked up Wendelstedt telling Boone that he did check and that the manager would be ejected if he said anything else. “I really didn’t even go after Hunter,” Boone said after the game. “I was more upset on the appeal. I said, ‘Hunter you can call it, too,’ and he came back at me pretty hard, to which I didn’t respond. I just said, ‘OK,’ went down.” Multiple camera angles showed Boone remaining quiet on the top step of the dugout after that. However, a fan in a blue pullover seated directly behind Boone heckled Wendelstedt, which appeared to spark the ejection. “Aaron, you’re done,” Wendelstedt yelled. “I don’t care who said it. You’re gone.” Boone, visibly stunned and angry, attempted to inform Wendelstedt that a fan had made the comment and pointed toward the man in blue. “What do you mean you don’t care? I did not say a word! It was over by the dugout,” Boone protested, using some profanity. “I didn’t say anything. I did not say anything, Hunter!” After the game, Boone repeatedly described the situation as “embarrassing.” “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. Neither Boone nor the players were aware of what the fan had said. Meanwhile, Wendelstedt told a pool reporter that the fan’s remark had no bearing on the ejection and that he had not yet seen a replay. Instead, he claimed a “cheap shot” remark came from the “far end” of the Yankees’ dugout. Wendelstedt chose to hold Boone accountable for his team’s alleged actions rather than taking the time to identify the culprit. “This isn’t my first ejection,” Wendelstedt said. “In the entirety of my career, I have never ejected a player or a manager for something a fan has said. I understand that’s going to be part of a story or something like that because that’s what Aaron was portraying.” Wendelstedt added that Boone was “probably” not the one who made the offending remark. But “Aaron Boone runs the Yankees,” the official reasoned. “He got ejected.” Wendelstedt repeated the “I don’t care who said it” line that had angered Boone during the game twice more while speaking with the pool reporter. The source stated that umpires have one day to file a report, which will then be reviewed by the league’s baseball operations department, as MLB is anticipated to review this ejection. According to the source, the league will also get in touch with the Yankees. Boone has already stated his intention to contact MLB himself. If any disciplinary action results from the incident, MLB will make a formal announcement.
MLB to Review Aaron Boone Ejection Incident Involving Fan
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