Aaron Boone's latest ejection punctuates a fiery 2025 season for the Yankees manager, coming in the third inning of a Sunday tilt with the Houston Astros after disputing a called strike on Jason Alexander’s sinker to Ryan McMahon. The umpire’s shove-back ignited a brief dugout argument before the at-bat continued and McMahon finished out, as New York fell 7-1.

Boone logged his fifth ejection of the year, a stark contrast to last season’s six. Since taking over in 2018, he’s been tossed 44 times, underscoring a temperament that bleeds into the dugout amid high-leverage moments. The Astros, meanwhile, built a 2-0 lead and later expanded it, with Cam Smith delivering a two-run double off Max Fried in the fifth as part of a frame that cemented Houston’s advantage. Fried noted the missed pitch would be “nice to have back,” while Boone argued the ejection wasn’t the reason for the setback.

For fantasy managers, the scene highlights how Boone’s volatility can ripple through late-inning plans and bullpen usage, especially in series against capable offenses like Houston. While the loss stings, the long arc of the season and Boone’s history of ejections suggest a bullpen churn to monitor, particularly when managers face late-)game pressure and umpire conversations that become part of the game-day narrative.