Yankees Notebook: Aaron Boone suspended for Padres opener

The Yankees will open their series against the Padres without their manager.

Major League Baseball announced that Aaron Boone has been suspended one game after he was ejected from Thursday’s contest against the Orioles. Boone’s suspension, which he chose to serve Friday, comes with an undisclosed fine.

Thursday’s ejection was Boone’s fourth of the season — which leads his contemporaries – and his third in 10 games. Based on MLB’s statement, Boone’s recent stretch – rather than just Thursday’s incident – contributed to the suspension, as the league’s release noted “recent conduct toward major league umpires.”

“I don’t like that it’s happened a few times this week,” Boone said Friday before the suspension was announced. “I’d like to not get ejected, and hopefully I can start a long streak of not getting ejected. I’m not necessarily afraid to, but no, it’s not my intent to get ejected, and I don’t want to. Hopefully I won’t for a while.”

Boone has been tossed 30 times as a manager. That’s seven more ejections than any other manager since Boone began the job in 2018, per statistician Katie Sharp.

On Thursday, Boone took issue with home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso’s erratic strike zone. The skipper insisted that his initial comments shouldn’t have led to an ejection, but Boone turned things up a notch when Moscoso turned his back on the arguing manager. Crew chief Chris Guccione had to get in between Moscoso and Boone.

Some spittle from Boone’s mouth also flew in Moscoso’s direction.

“I should not have been thrown out of that game. I was very calm, didn’t do much at all. And then [Guccione] was holding me back,” Boone said Thursday night. “So I didn’t need to be restrained. The dismissive attitude and walking away, I took exception to. I really didn’t have to be restrained. I was being restrained. He was keeping in front of me. Nothing bad was gonna happen.”

While Boone has had multiple run-ins with umpires lately, he said that he didn’t want them replaced with automated zones on Thursday. On Friday, he added that he doesn’t feel like umpires are targeting him, generally speaking.

Rather, he believes he’s been “treated fairly.”

“I think they come in, for the most part, with a blank slate,” Boone said. “I do think there is probably the occasional bias that exists. We’re human beings. I’m sure certain people don’t like hearing from me or whatever.

“I think I’ve earned that reputation. Do I think it’s leading to a quick hook? Not necessarily. I think last night was, but that could just be a one-off. Maybe I’m delusional and I did more than I think. I don’t think that’s the case. But no, I don’t think I’m being targeted by umpires going in.”

CARPENTER RETURNS

Padres DH Matt Carpenter returned to Yankee Stadium Friday, his first time doing so since playing for the Bombers last season.

Carpenter enjoyed a renaissance with the Yankees, slashing .305/.412 /.727 with 15 home runs and 37 RBI before a foul ball broke his left foot and torpedoed his season. Carpenter managed to return for the postseason, but he wasn’t the same and struck out nine times with just one hit in 12 plate appearances.

While the season ended on a sour note, Carpenter called his time in the Bronx an opportunity “I’ll never forget.”

“My kids and family, we still talk about what a great ride it was,” he added. “I’m super thankful and still grateful that I got that chance.”

Carpenter, who entered Friday’s game hitting just .188 with four homers and 21 RBI, said that he and the Yankees had some conversations about coming back, but those never progressed. He wasn’t sure if that had anything to do with his foot, which prevented him from having a normal offseason after he pushed harder than he should have to play in October. He didn’t regret that, though, as he cherished the chance to experience the postseason in a Yankees uniform.

Carpenter said that additional X-rays in December revealed that he still had a fracture, and he had to shut down for six weeks.

“My foot just never healed. It was broken all the way until basically the day I signed [with the Padres],” said Carpenter, who inked a one-year deal with San Diego. The pact included a 2024 option.

While Carpenter liked being a Yankee, Boone felt the same way about managing the “humble spirit.”

“I loved him being here. I loved getting to manage him,” Boone said. “From the moment he walked in our clubhouse, he was just this breath of fresh air.

“I feel grateful that I got to spend a few months with him as his manager. Certainly wish him the best – following the series.”

PARTING WORDS FOR HICKS

The Yankees officially released Aaron Hicks on Friday, an expected move after the outfielder was designated for assignment last weekend.

Hicks was still owed nearly $30 million over three seasons, including 2023. Hicks debuted for the Yankees in 2016 and signed a seven-year, $70 million extension following a career-year in 2018. But he’s played in just 303 games while hitting .218/.330/.360 since then, and he hit .188 over 28 games this season.

“I hope what doesn’t get lost is a couple of really good seasons that he had here,” Boone said. “Had some good postseason moments here. And then some injuries really impacted his time here and probably impacted his career and his ability to get back to that level.”

REHAB ASSIGNMENTS

Tommy Kahnle (bicep tendinitis) is scheduled to make two more rehab appearances on Sunday and Tuesday. The reliever could then join the Yankees in Los Angeles next week, per Boone.

Boone said Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) will go through full workouts this weekend. The Yankees will then talk about next steps Tuesday, as far as starting a rehab assignment goes.

Boone also said “we’ll see” when asked if Josh Donaldson (hamstring) could rejoin the Yankees in Seattle early next week.