The first month of the season is behind us. The major leagues saw 21 April ejections. That is four more ejections in the first month of the\u00a02016<\/a>\u00a0season.\u00a0<\/span>Managers\u00a0accounted for fourteen\u00a0April ejections, while players were\u00a0tossed nine times.<\/span><\/p>\n In the top of the seventh inning, Marlins third baseman Derek Dietrich<\/a><\/strong> took a Enny Romero<\/a> <\/strong>fastball off his forearm<\/span>. It was the second time that Nationals pitching had hit him that game. <\/span>Marlins manager Don Mattingly<\/a><\/strong> said something in home plate umpire Ron Kulpa’s direction<\/span>. Kulpa then tossed <\/a><\/span>Mattingly<\/span>. Before leaving for the clubhouse, he gave more of his opinion to Kulpa.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In the bottom of the seventh, Dodgers center fielder\u00a0Joc Pederson<\/a><\/strong><\/strong> took two pitches from Brad Hand<\/a><\/strong> over the heart of the plate for strikes<\/span>. One was knee high and the other at his thighs. He struck out swinging on the ensuing pitch. After striking out, he threw his bat and his helmet to the ground. Home plate umpire David Rackley ejected <\/a>him for arguing and throwing equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n In the bottom of the seventh, Rays outfielder\u00a0Kevin Kiermaier<\/a><\/strong> took a called strike three on a 3-2 pitch from Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Loup<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. He engaged in an argument with home plate umpire Mike Muchlinski. Had he left well enough alone, he would have been fine, but he yelled something else from the dugout. Muchlinski tossed him for it. Afterward, he took responsibility, commenting<\/a> that Muchlinski’s low strike zone had frustrated him.<\/span><\/p>\n In the top of the eighth inning, Phillies pitcher Edubray Ramos<\/a><\/strong> throw a ball over the head of Asdrubal Cabrera<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. Home plate umpire Alan Porter issued a warning, as the pitch was three feet inside. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin<\/a><\/strong> argued the warning. Porter tossed him for unsportsmanlike behavior<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In the top of the fifth inning, Trevor Story<\/a><\/strong> of the Rockies faced Johnny Cueto<\/a><\/strong> with one runner on. Rockies pitcher Tyler Anderson<\/a><\/strong> had been called for balking twice earlier in the game. Home plate umpire Mike Everitt ruled all the pitches from Cueto to be legal. Rockies manager Bud Black<\/a><\/strong> argued the no call. Black was ejected<\/a>.<\/p>\n With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Leonys Martin<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0fought off a first-pitch cutter from Tony Barnette<\/a><\/strong>. The ball travelled down the foul line to first baseman Mike Napoli<\/a><\/strong> who fielded it and stepped on the bag. Martin had not left the batter’s box, assuming the ball was foul.\u00a0First base umpire CB Bucknor initially ruled it a foul ball, then changed the ruling to fair and called Martin out. Mariner’s manager Scott Servais<\/a><\/strong> argued the call, and Bucknor\u00a0ejected<\/a>\u00a0him.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the third inning, Khris Davis<\/a><\/strong> hit a 2-2 change-up down the third base line. The ball was fielded by Joey Gallo<\/a><\/strong>, who threw\u00a0to Napoli for the forceout. Third base umpire Mike Everitt called the ball fair, but\u00a0home plate Bill Welke called it foul. Rangers Manager Jeff Banister<\/a><\/strong> exited the dugout to argue the call. It got heated, and Welke ejected<\/a> Banister.<\/p>\n With no outs and the bases juiced in the bottom of the ninth, Steven Souza<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0faced a 3-2 fastball from Francisco Rodriguez<\/a><\/strong>. He failed to check his swing, and plate umpire Larry Vanover called it a swinging third strike. No appeal was made, and Rays manager Kevin Cash<\/a><\/strong> was ejected<\/a> for arguing the call.<\/p>\n With two outs and one on in the bottom of the eighth, Jason Castro<\/a><\/strong> faced a slider from Andrew Miller<\/a><\/strong>. He attempted to check his swing, but failed to do so, making contact with a foul tip. Home plate umpire Alan Porter called Castro out on a swinging third strike. Twins manager Paul Molitor<\/a><\/strong> argued the call. Porter ejected<\/a> him.<\/p>\n With no outs, and Manny Machado<\/a> <\/strong>on first, Mark Trumbo<\/a><\/strong> hit a 3-2 slider offered up by Joe Kelly<\/a><\/strong>. Xander Bogaerts<\/a><\/strong> fielded the ball cleanly, and threw to Dustin Pedroia<\/a><\/strong> to pivot a double play attempt. Machado slid into second, and his feet came off the bag, hitting Pedroia in the calf and injuring him. Machado was called out on the play. Review showed he was out, and that he did not violate the bona fide slide rule. Red Sox third-base coach Brian Butterfield argued with third-base umpire Porter between innings. Porter ejected <\/a>him for questioning the call and unsportsmanlike behavior.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the fifth inning, Matt Boyd<\/a><\/strong> threw behind Miguel Sano<\/a><\/strong>. Sano\u00a0threw a punch at catcher James McCann<\/a><\/strong>. The benches cleared, but\u00a0no further activity occurred. Plate umpire Jordan Baker ejected \u00a0Boyd for throwing at Sano. He ejected<\/a> Sano for the punch. The league disciplined <\/a>both players for their roles in this incident.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the eighth, Matt Barnes<\/a><\/strong> threw a first pitch change-up high and tight on Machado. Machado protected himself with his bat, fouling the ball off. Home plate umpire Andy Fletcher ejected<\/a> Barnes for throwing at Machado – presumably in retaliation for the slide two days earlier. The league suspended Barnes<\/a>.<\/p>\n With two outs in the top of the seventh, Matt Carpenter<\/a><\/strong> took 3-1 and 3-2 sliders from Brent Suter<\/a><\/strong> for called strikes. He protested the call by throwing his bat down. Tumpane ejected<\/a> him immediately. Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny<\/a><\/strong> left the dugout to argue the call as well. Matheny\u00a0similarly got the thumb for continuing the argument.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the third, with two outs and no one on, Kole Calhoun<\/a><\/strong> stepped into the box to face Marcus Stroman<\/a><\/strong>. Stroman pitched quickly, and plate umpire Ramon De Jesus ruled that Cahoun was not yet set. He called it\u00a0a quick pitch, making it an automatic ball. Cahoun drew a walk. Manager John Gibbons<\/a> <\/strong>of the Jays opted to argue with De Jesus. He was ejected<\/a> for the argument.<\/p>\n Following\u00a0the seventh-inning, Padres manager Andy Green<\/a><\/strong> began a discussion with plate umpire Paul Emmel. Green claimed his batsmen faced incorrectly called strikes. Emmel took an earful and ejected<\/a> Green. After the game,\u00a0Green suggested that an accumulation of calls had upset him. He felt as though Emmel had not been consistent with his strike zone through the game.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the ninth with one out, Elvis Andrus<\/a><\/strong> took a 2-2 sinker from Brandon Kintzler<\/a><\/strong>. Plate umpire Alfonso Marquez called the pitch a strike. Banister took to the field and argued the called. Marquez ejected<\/a> him following the argument. It was Banister’s second ejection of the season.<\/p>\n In the top of the sixth, with two outs, Russell Martin<\/a><\/strong> took a 3-2 fastball from Jesse Chavez<\/a><\/strong>. Plate umpire Toby Basner called it a third strike, ending the inning. Gibbons exited the dugout to argue the call. Basner ejected <\/a>Gibbons, sending him\u00a0to the clubhouse early for the second consecutive game. Gibbons said during his press conference that he felt that Basner’s zone was moving throughout the game.<\/p>\n In the bottom of the seventh inning, Left fielder Ryan Braun<\/a><\/strong> took a 2-2 fastball from Eric O’Flaherty<\/a><\/strong>. Plate umpire Quinn Wolcott called the pitch a strike to end the ending. Braun argued the call. Wolcott ejected<\/a> him after he threw his shin guard at the umpire.<\/p>\n With two out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, Darren O’Day<\/a><\/strong> attempted to\u00a0pick off lead runner Starlin Castro<\/a><\/strong>. Home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater called a balk, moving the runners to second and third. Orioles manager Buck Showalter<\/a><\/strong> argued the call, as O’Day had been making the same move for several years. Showalter was ejected<\/a> for arguing the call.<\/p>\n Several long-time umpires retired at the end of 2016. Many younger umpires started in the majors this year. It is possible that younger umpires have a lower tolerance than the long-term veterans. Major League Baseball is also notoriously lax in monitoring it’s umpires. Players, managers, and many fans feel that umpires exercise what often feels like unrestricted power. In addition, the lack of oversight leads to inconsistency from umpire to umpire and game to game, which can be frustrating. Unless umpires are held accountable and to a standard of consistency, the flood of ejections likely won’t let up any time soon.<\/p>\n Main Photo:<\/p>\nApril 5: Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals<\/span><\/h3>\n
April 6: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers<\/span><\/h3>\n
April 9: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays<\/span><\/h3>\n
April 10: New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies<\/span><\/h3>\n
April 14: Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\nApril 16: Texas\u00a0Rangers at Seattle Mariners<\/h3>\n
April 19: Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics<\/h3>\n
April 19: Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays<\/h3>\n
April 20: Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins<\/h3>\n
April 21: Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles<\/h3>\n
April 22: Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins<\/h3>\n
April 23: Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles<\/h3>\n
April 23: St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers<\/h3>\n
April 23: Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels<\/h3>\n
April 23: Miami Marlins at San Diego Padres<\/h3>\n
April 24: Minnesota Twins at Texas Rangers<\/h3>\n
April 24: Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels<\/h3>\n
April 29: Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers<\/h3>\n
April 30: Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees<\/h3>\n
Why are April Ejections on the Rise?<\/h2>\n