NEW YORK -- New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected for the major-league-leading fifth time this season and the 38th time in his career when plate umpire Edwin Jimenez tossed him for arguing during Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boone was ejected before the start of the seventh inning for arguing from the dugout after slumping Alex Verdugo was called out on a full-count fastball from Colin Poche that appeared to be low.
Verdugo repeatedly complained after the call for the first out in the bottom of the sixth. New York was trailing 3-0 at the time.
Boone led the major leagues with nine ejections in 2022 and tied for the most last year with seven.
Frustration appears to be setting in with a club that was the talk of baseball at the beginning of the season. But New York's rotation, which had a major league-best 2.86 ERA during a 51-24 start through June 18, has a big league-worst 6.39 mark since. The Yankees allowed 22 runs in the first inning of their opening 70 games but have given up 25 in their last 31.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.