Aaron Boone calls challenge fiasco ‘bullying’ by umps but doesn’t think call would’ve changed

BALTIMORE — Aaron Boone was furious. Home plate umpire Will Little had waved off the second run of the Yankees’ eighth-inning rally. The Yankees manager had been looking at bench coach Carlos Mendoza and when he turned to the field to ask for a replay, he was told he was too late.

Boone stormed onto the field and was quickly ejected  by first base umpire Greg Gibson — his first of the season. But the real fury should have been at third base, where Aaron Judge had run into the third out of the inning, killing the rally as the Yankees fell to the Orioles 4-2 at Camden Yards.

“You don’t want to make the last out at third base, as a general rule,” Boone said, stating the age-old baseball adage. “But also a first and third scenario with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first is a little more advantageous than just your normal first and second situation. so you don’t want to just be totally non-aggressive.”

Austin Hays threw out Judge before DJ LeMahieu crossed the plate for the second run, home plate umpire Will Little ruled. Boone was having bench coach Carlos Mendoza check with the video replay room to see if they should challenge the play at third or at home plate.

When he went to challenge, the umpires said it was too late. Boone argued they didn’t give him enough time.

“He was basically saying, don’t even come out and try to discuss challenging us because you can’t and you’re out of here,” Boone said after the loss Monday night.  “It was too quick. And it was…. I just felt like it was kind of bullying, frankly.”

Not having to watch the Yankees go down meekly in the top of ninth, Boone was able to watch the replays back in the clubhouse after he cooled down.

“I don’t think it would have, based on what we’re just looking at now,” Boone said when asked if he thought the play would have been overturned on review. Still, Boone said he would have liked the time to make the challenge. “It’s very frustrating. I mean, obviously. I’m gonna challenge that at that point in the game all day long, but I at least want to give them a chance to see both, in case it’s a total moot point.”