New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier just got thrown out of the game by umpire Bill Miller for talking back, and it’s one of the worst calls of the season.
On Wednesday, the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of the series, and a bizarre call from umpire Bill Miller got Frazier ejected in the top of the fifth inning. Take a look below:
Based on the video, Frazier was at bat on his second strike and didn’t swing on an 85 mph fastball by Rays pitcher Ryan Yarbrough, believing it to be out of the strike zone. Umpire Bill Miller saw otherwise and called it for a third strike (Yarbrough’s fourth strikeout of the game), after which an unhappy Frazier gave Miller a small piece of mind. Miller took offense to whatever he said and tossed him out of the game without a second thought.
It’s obviously an impulsive decision on the umpire’s part and leaves fans wondering what Frazier could have said that was so insulting. Or, more likely, Bill Miller was just feeling a little vulnerable that day.
Clint Frazier gets thrown out of game on bewilderingly bad call
Either way, the Yankees can’t afford any more bad luck. Prior to the game, manager Aaron Boone had confirmed that seven Yankees staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. The game still went on, but the news doesn’t bode well for the Yankees’ morale. Even though they’re currently second in AL East, New York could do without a health debacle.
Miller’s call may have dramatically changed the course of the game, as New York will miss the presence of Frazier, who has hit three homers this season with an added six RBI.
The Yankees have gone 8-12 against division opponents so far in the league, but they are riding a hot streak of offense with a 0.237 batting average and have outscored opponents by 15 runs in their last ten games.