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Philadelphia Phillies’ manager Joe Girardi was ejected from Tuesday’s game against the Washington Nationals after requesting a foreign substance check on pitcher Max Scherzer mid-inning.
The new Major League Baseball’s foreign substance ban requires pitchers to undergo two mandatory between-innings checks of hats, gloves, and belts.
If managers feel that the opposing pitcher is acting suspiciously, they can request umpires to do a re-check.
During the fourth inning after Scherzer’s seventh strikeout, Girardi requested another check on Scherzer because he touched his hair a lot. He suspected that the pitcher was hiding a sticky substance.
An annoyed Scherzer threw his hat and glove to the ground and undid his belt, insisting that he had nothing to hide.
At the end of the fifth inning with his eighth strikeout of the game, the Nationals ace walked off the field and gave Girardi a death stare.
Girardi came out of the dugout before the start of the sixth inning and yelled at Scherzer.
Home plate umpire Tim Timmons then ejected Girardi from the game.
“I’ve seen Max a long time, since 2010,” said Girardi after the game. “But I’ve never seen him wipe his head like he did tonight, going like this. It was suspicious for me. It was suspicious.”
Scherzer defended himself by saying, “I would have to be an absolute fool to actually use something tonight when everybody’s antenna is so far high they’d look for anything. I have absolutely zero on me. I have nothing on me. Check whatever you want. I’ll take off all my clothes if you want to see me.”
The Nationals won the game 3-2.
Max Scherzer said he was just using rosin tonight. Couldn't find grip and so tried to use sweat. Could only find enough on his hair. Said he was confused Girardi asked for him to be checked since he had almost hit Alec Bohm in the face.
Max Scherzer career stats:
3 Cy Young Awards
2 No-Hitters
3 Spider Tack searches (all tonight) pic.twitter.com/OFHXKaucrC
And it’s all been worth it. pic.twitter.com/QCfAQ0GWdf
Max Scherzer just got checked again for a foreign substance in the middle of the 4th inning pic.twitter.com/2OGbi6Lh12
Joe Girardi gets ejected as Max Scherzer throws up his hat and gloves. pic.twitter.com/n8YNXPoeKG
Max Scherzer: "These are [Rob] Manfred rules. Go ask him what he wants to do with this. I've said enough. Go ask Alec Bohm how he feels about 95 (miles per hour) at his face.''
Joe Girardi on why he undressed Max Scherzer: "I saw him going to his hair. And I’ve never seen him doing that, ever." Notes he's watched Scherzer pitch since 2010.
From MLB's memo to teams last week:
"Please note that a manager will be subject to discipline if he makes the request in bad faith (e.g., a request intended to disrupt the pitcher in a critical game situation, a routine request that is not based on observable evidence, etc.)"
Nats GM Mike Rizzo on Joe Girardi – “It’s embarrassing for Girardi. It’s embarrassing for the Phillies. Was he playing games? Of course he was.”
Quotes via @1067theFan
