Boone ejected, directs profane rant at rookie umpire

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone went on a profane rant Thursday after rookie umpire Brennan Miller called Brett Gardner out on strikes in the second inning of a doubleheader opener against Tampa Bay.

Miller, umpiring behind the plate for the fifth time in a major league game, called Aaron Judge out on strikes following DJ LeMahieu’s leadoff double in the first.

Gardner batted in the second after Gio Urshela’s tying, two-run homer and was called out on a 1-2 pitch.

Gardner returned to the dugout, slammed his bat into the bat rack nine times, then eight times into the dugout roof. Microphones caught Boone’s yelling the pitch was outside mixed with profanities to Miller, an International League crew chief who made his big league debut April 20 as a call-up umpire.

Miller said, “I heard you, Aaron,” and when Boone persisted, the umpire ejected him. Boone then ran out and kept up the argument, getting close to Miller’s face and clapping his hands for emphasis.

“My guys are f—— savages in that f—— box, right? And you’re having a piece of s— start to this game. I feel bad for you, but f—— get better,” Boone said, going on to repeat his thoughts several times. He told Miller to “tighten it up right now, OK?”

Boone was ejected for the third time this season and the seventh time in two years as a big league manager.