NEW YORK – Saturday afternoon’s game at Yankee Stadium had barely started before Matt Quatraro was forced to take an early exit.
The Royals’ manager was ejected in the middle of the first inning for arguing with the umpiring crew. While the exact reason for the argument wasn’t known immediately, it appeared it might be about the lack of a balk call on Yankees starter Will Warren with Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia on second base in the top of the first inning.
Warren threw over to second base twice in the inning, but Garcia slid back and was safe each time.
After Garcia was stranded at second base despite a first-pitch leadoff double to open Saturday’s game, Quatraro came out to talk to second-base umpire Nestor Ceja and crew chief Chris Guccione. It was a long discussion but appeared to be over when Quatraro turned away to walk back to the dugout – that is, until he threw up his arm and turned back around. Ceja immediately ejected Quatraro, and the discussion got heated very fast among the group.
Quatraro headed straight into the dugout and down the steps to his office. Bench coach Paul Hoover took over managerial duties.
The Royals didn’t start off Saturday’s game well by leaving Garcia on second base in the first inning, and it didn’t get any better with Quatraro’s ejection and the five-run third inning the Yankees put up shortly after against Royals starter Noah Cameron.