Michael Kay was over Jose Siri's slow trot, despite Yankees' participation in antics too

In the digital era of social media and brand identity, athletes have become showmen more than ever before. In the NFL, players have created their own signature touchdown celebrations, like Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson's "Griddy" or future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski's "Gronk Spike."

In Major League Baseball, young stars have used home run trots to showcase their personality, signature celebration, or trash talk. Players aren't typically scrutinized for celebrating, but context and timing are integral parts of a good celebration. Every so often, players have caught the ire of broadcasters for celebrating while their team is trailing by a significant margin.

Rays and Yankees engage in odd slow-trot war

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jose Siri drew some criticism for an oddly slow celebration on the team's lone home run against the New York Yankees on Monday. The Rays hadn't recorded a hit prior to the home run in the fifth inning and trailed the Yankees, 4-0. Siri, whose birthday was on Monday, decided to use the home run trot to celebrate his personal accomplishment.

Siri drew out his home run trot as long as possible, celebrating at every turn. Considering the score of the game, YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay wasn't a fan of Siri's home run celebration, which lasted 30 seconds.

"You're losing," Kay said. "I mean, celebrate when you're winning. They're acting like it's Mardi Gras in that dugout. You're losing the game!"

Siri wasn't the only guilty party, however. Randy Arozarena took his time to round the bases after a home run in the fourth inning on Sunday, and Yankees captain Aaron Judge responded by taking 31 seconds to trot around the bases later in the game. Arozarena's slow trot could be seen as the equivalent to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand — the moment that sparked the slow trot-off war between these two struggling teams.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered his opinion on the slow home run trots, via

"It's a new world," Boone said, h/t Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "I look away sometimes. So that's part of it. Guys are going to do what they do. It's on us, each individual, to handle themselves how you want. And if somebody doesn't like it, it's on us to keep them in the ballpark."

Yankees star Juan Soto also took his home run as an opportunity to respond to Siri's slow trot on Monday. Soto took 37.7 seconds to round the bases after hitting a home run. That is much longer than his average trot time of 26.9 seconds, per Baseball Savant.

The Yankees won the game, 9-1, resulting in a even split for the four-game series against the Rays. The Yankees will face the New York Mets in a quick two-game series at Yankee Stadium before heading to Boston to face the Red Sox.