LOS ANGELES — The Yankees are spitting into the wind.
Aaron Boone talked to general manager Brian Cashman and assistant GM Jean Afterman about plate umpire Gabe Morales costing the Yankees a chance to score the tying run in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.
With Gleyber Torres racing from third to home and Dodgers second baseman Max Muncy on the ground near second base with the ball Morales killed the play.
“We have inquired and are waiting to hear [MLB] thoughts on it,’’ Boone said prior to Sunday’s game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. “I want to hear their take on that, on the timeout. Kind of watching it back more and more you can clearly see Kenley [Jansen] asking for [time]. That doesn’t mean you should get it. By the time it was called, Gleyber was on his way. Hopefully we will get at least an answer on the thought process there or did they think that was in line or not but I haven’t got that yet.’’
Whatever MLB officials tell the Yankees, it won’t result in going back and picking up the game from the play. What is done is done and the Yankees know it.
Had Torres scored and the Yankees gone on to win the game, they would have been looking for a three-game sweep going into Sunday night’s action. Instead they were hoping to cop a second win and head to Seattle for three games against the Mariners in a much quieter setting than what smothered Dodger Stadium over the weekend.
The controversy started when Torres and Brett Gardner singled off Jansen with one out in the ninth and Gio Urshela hit a grounder to third baseman Justin Turner. He opted to throw to second and the play was close because Gardner upended Muncy.
Gardner was originally called out and with Muncy on the ground with the ball Torres took off for home.
Jansen called for time and Morales granted it. That was followed by the Yankees appealing the out call at second that was reversed. The Dodgers appealed Gardner’s slide into Muncy and that didn’t get the call overturned. Provided with a break, Jansen struck out Mike Tauchman and Gary Sanchez to seal the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory.
Muncy admitted after the game that he put on a little acting job after Gardner wiped him out and Torres was critical of Morales.
“I was hurting, but there was a little bit of acting there, too. I stayed down a little longer,’’ Muncy said.
Torres was blunt talking about the umpires.
“They need to do a little [better] job,’’ Torres said. “I don’t know what was wrong with the umpires today. We can’t control that.’’
As for Muncy’s acting job Gardner simply shrugged and Boone downplayed it.
“[Saturday] after I didn’t think it should have been called time no matter what [Muncy] was doing,’’ Boone said. “Maybe that advances the story a little bit, but it didn’t change.’’
Boone said the play didn’t reward Torres for doing the right thing.
“Finish the play and frankly we did,’’ Boone said. “Gleyber took advantage of what looked like a good situation but obviously it didn’t work out.’’
And led to the same place the Yankees’ inquiry will: nowhere.