The box score for the Red Sox’s 2-0 win over the Mets on Tuesday night shows that starting pitcher Walker Buehler only pitched 2⅓ innings. In most cases, this could only result in injury or ejection. In Buehler’s case, there was an ejection. And he received his money’s worth.
It was a 1-0 pitch to Juan Soto with Francisco Lindor stealing second, and home plate umpire Mike Estabrook clearly missed a strike call. He was most likely confused by Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez’s setup, but the bottom line is that the call should have been a strike but was incorrectly ruled a ball.
It was a 0-0 game at the time, with one of the most dangerous hitters at the plate, so Buehler’s frustration was understandable.
And now for the main event. Below is a good shot of Buehler, who appears to tell Estabrook that the pitch was “right down the f—ing middle.” He had a few more choice words for the umpire. Take it away, lip reader.
If you’re going to be tossed, this is the way to go. Don’t leave anything on the field. Boston manager Alex Cora was also ejected after Buehler was escorted to the clubhouse early.
Crew chief Laz Diaz stated that the official ruling was that Buehler was ejected for leaving his position to argue balls and strikes.
“He can say stuff from the mound,” Diaz explained (via the Boston Herald). “But when he gets off the mound, he leaves his position to argue balls and strikes. Anyone who leaves their position to argue balls and strikes will be ejected immediately.
After the game, Buehler appeared to regret being ejected, particularly because it put the bullpen in a difficult situation.
“I’ve been in this league too long for that to happen,” Buehler explained to reporters. “I think for me, it’s one of those things where you’re very conflicted, right? You’re very convicted by what I felt and saw, but this is a team game, and I kind of let it get out of control.
“Today’s game is a story about the bullpen,” said the pitcher. “Obviously I put them in a really tough spot off of a day that we asked a lot of them, a lot out of them [Monday].”
The Red Sox scored twice in the fifth on home runs by Narváez and Rafael Devers, and that was enough to secure the win for the Red Sox, with Buehler and six relievers combining for the shutout.
