On an afternoon in The Bronx that featured a case of mistaken identity, Yankees batters, too, might have been mistaken for players with lesser résumés.
A team that features Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo has gone silent.
An offense that many projected to be able to carry the team instead is a strange weakness through the first few weeks of the season.
The Yankees totaled three hits in a 2-0 loss to open a series against the abysmal A’s in front of 30,366 at the Stadium, a game that Boone watched from afar after a bizarre first-inning ejection.
The Yankees (15-8) wasted a gem from Carlos Rodon and continued to scuffle offensively even against an opposing pitcher who hardly was overpowering.
On Monday, it was former Yankee JP Sears (who was sent to Oakland in the Frankie Montas trade) who stymied Yankees bats over six innings.
The Yankees did not reach third base and only advanced one runner to second.
Alex Verdugo reached scoring position in the fifth inning, but Oswaldo Cabrera grounded out.
Four games into this seven-game homestand, the Yankees have come to bat in 35 innings and have scored in just three of those frames.
The Yankees still were knotted with the A’s through eight innings because of seven scoreless, one-hit innings from Rodon in his best start in pinstripes.
But A’s bats got to Victor Gonzalez in the ninth. Abraham Toro reached on a swinging bunt before Zack Gelof unleashed a two-run homer deep into the right-field seats for the deciding swing.
In the ninth, Anthony Volpe, Soto and Judge were blown away from fireballing closer Mason Miller, who preserved a three-hitter.
Judge, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, is down to a .174 batting average in what has been a nightmare start to his campaign.
Boone was not around for the end — or the middle or even most of the beginning — after a first-inning ejection that appeared to be prompted by home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt mistaking a fan’s voice for Boone’s.
Home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt told Boone to quiet down after the first batter of the game, Estuary Ruiz, was hit by a pitch.
Boone remained silent, but YES Network cameras showed a fan behind the dugout yelling toward Wendelstedt, who quickly ejected Boone while the second batter of the game was up.
Boone argued his case and pointed toward the fan.
On-field microphones picked up Wendelstedt saying, “I don’t care who said it, you’re gone.”