Boone initially decided to play in the majors, but after sitting on the bench for three weeks, he made the transition back to the minors as a backup. In 87 games in the Texas League, Boone batted .353 over 318 at-bats, producing 48 RBIs, 16 doubles, nine triples, and three home runs. Boone debuted in the major leagues on September 3, 1948, when he was called up by the Cleveland Indians. That year, he went on to play in his first World Series. In the eighth inning of game five, Boone was sent in to pinch hit. He struck out swinging against Warren Spahn. During the 1948 World Series, the Indians defeated the Boston Braves in six games. In 1949, Boone played his first full rookie season. Playing in 86 games with a batting average of .252. During the 1950 season, Boone batted .301, producing 58 RBIs and seven home runs. Boone's batting average dropped to .233 in the 1951 season, with an increase in appearances. He produced 12 home runs and 51 RBIs over 151 games, with 544 plate appearances. During that year, Boone's home runs ranked second among league shortstops. His RBIs ranked third among league shortstops. In 1952, Boone's batting average was .263. He sustained multiple injuries that year, including a torn ligament in the left knee. In August 1952, Boone committed six errors over four games. On August 24, during a game with the Washington Senators, Boone's two errors resulted in six unearned runs. The Senators won the game and the Indians dropped in league rankings to fall behind the New York Yankees. Detroit Tigers On June 14, 1953, Boone was traded to the Detroit Tigers from the Cleveland Indians along with Steve Gromek in a swap that saw Art Houtteman and Joe Ginsberg sent to the Indians. The Tigers switched Boone from shortstop (then occupied by the future Rookie of the Year Harvey Kuenn) to third base. Boone's first game with the Tigers was on June 16, 1953, in Fenway Park. The Tigers won 5–3 over the Red Sox. During the game, Boone fielded six times without error. He produced one go-ahead home run against pitcher Sid Hudson in the seventh inning, along with two walks, a double, and a single. The rest of the 1953 season, Boone hit four grand slams, tying the major league record at the time. That year, Boone produced 93