Yankees manager Aaron Boone wasn't happy with home plate umpire Brennan Miller on Thursday afternoon.
Miller called Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner out on strikes moments after Gio Urshela had hit a game-tying home run in the second inning vs. the Rays. Miller judged the pitch had caught the edge of the plate, but Gardner and Boone didn't think so.
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Boone began voicing his displeasure with Miller after a frustrated Gardner returned to the dugout. "F—ing get better now, Brennan, let's f—ing go," Boone screamed as Gardner banged his bat against the dugout roof.
Boone kept going after Miller called a strike on DJ LeMahieu that appeared to be outside. One pitcher later, Miller finally tossed Boone after he'd heard enough. Boone then came out and vented some more. (WARNING: Repeated NSFW language.)
Here is the full sequence of the Boone ejection. Hot mics galore. pic.twitter.com/R6Vw0qw0qn
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) July 18, 2019
Boone's absence won't be long; he'll be back in the dugout for Game 2 of New York's doubleheader with Tampa Bay later Thursday.
UPDATE: Boone told reporters between games that his use of the phrase "savages in the box" to describe his hitters was a spur-of-the-moment deal.
"Sometimes in the heat of battle, you just kind of utter some things," he said, "but I feel that way about our guys, no doubt."
If Boone wants to wear his statement with pride, then he has his choice of T-shirts that were created minutes after his tirade went online (see here, here, here, here and here).
Yankees first baseman Luke Voit sort of contradicted his skipper ("He's been calling us 'savages' all year," he said, per SNY), but he didn't disagree with the assessment.
"We are a bunch of savages," Voit said.
SN's Tom Gatto contributed to this report.