New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge was ejected from a game for the first time in his career during the 5-3 win Sunday over the Detroit Tigers.
During the bottom of the seventh inning, Judge was called out on a strike three call on an outside pitch that appeared to be off the plate.
Judge, clearly unhappy with the call from home plate umpire Ryan Blakney, had a few words as he walked off the field.
Blakney apparently didn't like what Judge was saying and tossed him from the game for the first time in the latter's career.
Crew chief Alan Porter spoke to a pool reporter following the game and gave an explanation for why Judge was ejected.
“Apparently Aaron did not agree with the pitch and said something that you shouldn’t have said, and he was ejected,“ Porter said. “We do what we can to keep guys in the game, but he said something he shouldn’t have said. … There are things you cannot say no matter what’s going on. Things that you can’t say, and he apparently did.”
From what the hot mics picked up, Judge's words to the umpire were hardly anything different they hear from players after making a poor call. In fact, Judge's words were relatively mild.
Judge gets tossed. pic.twitter.com/m19GbX32RQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 4, 2024
“We’ll leave it out there," Judge said after the game. "I was walking away kind of saying my piece. I’ve said a lot worse. [The ejection] made a scene, and I usually try not to make a scene in situations like that, so I was a little surprised walking away that it happened.”
Judge is the first Yankees captain to be ejected from a game since Don Mattingly on May 13, 1994. He has made it a point to not show up umpires throughout his career, and this was hardly causing a scene.
Manager Aaron Boone also was surprised Judge was tossed from the game.
"I was surprised. Judgy says very little, usually. [He was] very respectfully walking away," Boone said.
This isn't the first time the Yankees have had a run-in with MLB umpires. Boone has been ejected twice this season, including a ridiculous ejection in which Boone didn't say anything.
Like most ejections, this will all be water under the bridge the following day, but Judge now has an ejection on his record.
For more Yankees coverage, check out Kevin Hickey's work on Sporting News.
