ATLANTA, GA – JULY 18: Stephen Strasburg #37 of the Washington Nationals looks on from the dugout during the game against the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park on July 18, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg was just ejected from the stands on Thursday after he was furious with a ball he thought was a strike.
While we may not have fans in the stands, that doesn’t mean the entertainment levels for everyone watching Major League Baseball can’t be enjoyed at home. And on Thursday, we somehow were treated to Stephen Strasburg getting tossed from the game… despite him not starting.
Strasburg got ejected from the stands? In the showdown between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets, Washington pitcher Austin Voth threw a ball right down the middle that looked to be a clear strike.
The home-plate ump decided it was a bit low and called it a ball. The Nationals players exploded in anger, with Strasburg getting tossed shortly after.
Strasburg’s anger was evidently enough to get the umpire’s attention from a distance
Can you blame Strasburg and the Nats for being so upset with the call? On which planet is that not a strike? Voth himself couldn’t believe the call and somehow didn’t blow a gasket. Instead, Strasburg did that for him and was sent to the clubhouse much earlier than expected.
After stunning the baseball world last season and winning the World Series, Washington has suffered a major hangover early on this campaign. Entering Thursday’s contest with New York, the Nats were 6-8 in 2020.
Normally when you see an umpire make an absurd call, it’s the manager who is ejected. In this case, Davey Martinez may have been furious, but Strasburg was quick to let Voth know he had his back and that the blown call by the ump was not going to be something he’d let slide.