Who is the fan behind Aaron Boone’s ‘bulls–t’ ejection by umpire Wendelstedt

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The confusion surrounding Aaron Boone’s ejection during Monday’s Yankees-A’s game at Yankee Stadium has finally been cleared. Initially, it appeared that the umpire tossed the Yankees manager for arguing a call, but replays revealed a different story.

Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Aaron Boone just two batters into the game after what seemed to be a complaint from the manager. However, the culprit was not the skipper himself, but rather a fan seated behind the Yankees’ dugout.

YES Network announcer Ryan Ruocco, with a clear view of the situation, shed light on the incident. He identified a fan in a blue shirt as the one who vocalized his displeasure to Wendelstedt, leading to the umpire’s swift ejection of Boone.

Video footage captured Aaron Boone’s visible surprise as he exclaimed, “Whoa! I didn’t say anything!” Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus, recognizing the error, immediately chimed in, “It’s a fan! It’s a fan!”

Despite the clarification attempts from both Aaron Boone and Ausmus, Wendelstedt remained unconvinced, responding with a dismissive, “I don’t care!”

The ejection occurred in the top of the first inning, following a pitch from Carlos Rodon to Tyler Nevin. Aaron Boone vehemently argued his case, insisting he wasn’t responsible for the outburst that triggered Wendelstedt’s reaction. However, the umpire’s decision was final.

Aaron Boone had expressed his dissatisfaction before about Wendelstedt’s call on the game’s initial batter, Esteury Ruiz, asserting that he hadn’t swung at a pitch that ultimately struck him, thus awarding him first base.

This marked Aaron Boone’s second ejection of the 2024 season, with bench coach Ausmus taking over managerial duties for the remainder of the game. Despite the early setback, the Yankees entered Monday’s contest with a strong 15-7 record and held the top spot in the AL East, boasting a half-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles.

Aaron Boone was earlier ejected on April 10, marking the 34th in his managerial career so far.

Dejected Aaron Boone reacts to embarrassing ejection

A single outburst from a fan, not Aaron Boone’s own words, resulted in the Yankees manager’s baffling ejection during Monday’s game against the A’s. The incident left the Yankees manager feeling both embarrassed and speechless, according to his post-game comments.

“What do you mean you don’t care? I did not say a word. That’s bulls–t,” he complained following the Yankees’ 2-0 loss. “It’s embarrassing, it really is a bad… It’s embarrassing. Just not good.”

The drama unfolded in the first inning when home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt issued a warning to Aaron Boone regarding his complaints. The Yankees skipper, seemingly respecting the warning, held his tongue. However, a fan in close proximity to the action decided to voice their displeasure, leading to an unexpected turn of events.

Wendelstedt, apparently failing to distinguish between Aaron Boone and the fan, reacted swiftly by ejecting the manager. 

Aaron Boone emphasized that he had adhered to Wendelstedt’s warning and remained silent, yet found himself ejected regardless. Wendelstedt’s response, a curt “I don’t care who said it, you’re gone,” solidified his decision.

Aaron Boone recounted the bewildering experience, acknowledging that he did hear someone yell, but expressed shock when he was ejected without the opportunity to explain that the source wasn’t him. This case of mistaken identity resulted in a frustrating and unnecessary ejection for the Yankees’ manager.

“I did, and I heard somebody yell, but I was standing down and I heard ‘You’re gone, Aaron,” and I couldn’t believe it,” the Yankees manager said.

Dumb umpire blames Boone for the fan’s yelling

Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt responded to Aaron Boone’s claim that a fan’s outburst caused the manager’s ejection during Monday’s Yankees-A’s game. While acknowledging the fan’s presence, Wendelstedt presented a different perspective.

Speaking to reporters, Wendelstedt confirmed his awareness of the fan above the Yankees dugout, as mentioned by Aaron Boone. However, he emphasized an ongoing issue throughout the game – shouting from numerous fans directed at him from the first pitch call to the final out. He clarified that the disruptive behavior did not originate from Aaron Boone, bench coach Brad Ausmus, or the coaching staff.

Despite this distinction, Wendelstedt emphasized Aaron Boone’s responsibility as the manager. He explained that in his view, the “cheap shot,” as he characterized it, came from the far end of the dugout. Wendelstedt opted not to escalate the situation by identifying individuals at that location, particularly players who contribute to the entertainment of the fans. Therefore, the consequence fell upon the manager, resulting in Aaron Boone’s ejection.

Wendelstedt further addressed the fan issue, contrasting Aaron Boone’s explanation with his own experience. He highlighted his lengthy career, stating he’d never ejected a player or manager based solely on fan comments. He acknowledged that this point might become a central theme, aligning with Boone’s perspective. Yet, he maintained that the source of the disruption, unrelated to Aaron Boone’s location, originated from the far end of the dugout. Regardless, the Yankees manager ultimately bore the responsibility and was ejected.

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