HOUSTON – When his fuse is lit, Aaron Boone’s rage toward umpires is All-Star level stuff.
Boone earned his MLB-tying sixth ejection of 2025 as Wednesday night’s eighth inning devolved into a chaotic Yankee mess, leading to the Astros’ 8-7 comeback win at Daikin Park.
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As per his custom, the Yankees manager spoke with MLB executive Mike Hill about the on-field events Thursday morning, and Boone has always appreciated such give-and-take conversations.
Believe it or not, he also appreciates the umps.
“I know how much we preach to our guys about controlling the strike zone. So, it’s always something I’m going to passionately fight for…in the moment,’’ Boone said prior to Thursday’s series finale against the Astros.
“But I also have tried to acknowledge, and mean it, that for the most part a lot of these umpires are as good as they’ve ever been.
“The way they train now, the way they’re graded (and) scrutinized…more often than not, I feel they’re doing a good job.’’
Sept. 3, 2025: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks towards home plate during a pitching change in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.
But the Yankees were enraged at what they termed plate umpire Brian Walsh’s inconsistent strike zone late in Wednesday’s game.
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Walking off the mound after walking in Wednesday night’s go-ahead run, Devin Williams told Walsh that he’d missed four pitches – a comment that earned the Yanks’ reliever his first career ejection.
Meanwhile, in his eighth MLB season guiding the Yanks, Boone is climbing up all-time managerial ejection list – currently 31st with 45 toss-outs.
Boone has already passed notable Yankee skippers Joe Girardi (43) and Casey Stengel (40).
Currently tied with Ralph Houk, Boone is just three ejections shy of matching Billy Martin’s 48 ejections, which were often legendary fits of rage.
Overall, “I feel I have a good relationship with most of them,’’ Boone said of the umps. “For me, it’s easy to separate; it’s not personal…I’m just fighting for the zone.’’
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But with certain umpires, “I’m sure there’s a good handful that don’t like seeing me and there’s probably a few I don’t love seeing either.’’
After an “emotionally charged night,’’ Boone might be softening his stance on the Automatic Ball Strike (ABS) system that could be adopted by MLB as early as next season.
Boone has previously been against it, though he sees the merits of ABS on a limited basis – two challenges on pitches that only would result in a walk or strikeout.
“I think it’s coming in some way, shape or form,’’ Boone said of ABS. “And you’ve got to adapt to it.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees manager Aaron Boone moving up on MLB managerial ejection list