WATCH: Washington Pitcher Goes NUCLEAR After Umps Check Him Three Times for Foreign Substances, Threatens to Strip Nude

Brandon ContesJun 23rd, 2021, 9:57 am
 

Major League Baseball has never been known as a progressive league, struggling to modernize its rules and pace of play. Two days after their latest rule change, things have gone awry, with incensed pitchers ready to strip on the field.

Monday, June 21, MLB umpires began implementing a revamped enforcement of the league’s crackdown on players, specifically pitchers, using foreign substances to get a better grip on the ball. And no one is above suspicion.

Washington Nationals pitcher and three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer was less than thrilled the first two times umpires checked him for sticky substances Tuesday night. But when Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi asked umpires to check the future hall-of-famer a third time, and do it in the middle of an inning, Scherzer looked at them with a scowl like he was ready to tear them apart, or at least rip his pants off.

As Scherzer threw his cap on the ground and began removing his belt, umpires asked the pitcher to settle down and keep his pants on.

After the sixth inning, Scherzer knew his night was likely done and gave a firm stare into the Phillies dugout before returning to his own bench. As Scherzer glared over, Girardi stepped out of Philadelphia’s dugout, appearing to challenge the someone from the opposition to walk over for a fight. Scherzer didn’t partake, but he held up his hat and glove, seeming to declare he wasn’t using any foreign substance.

The Nationals and Scherzer went on to get the win, topping the Phillies 3-2. At 36-years-old, Scherzer is now a very impressive 6-4 with a 2.19 ERA on the season.

“I’d have to be an absolute fool to actually be using something tonight, when everybody’s antenna is so far high,” Scherzer said in his postgame press conference. “It is what it is. Whatever. Turn the page, move on.”

According to the memo sent by MLB to every club, managers are not allowed to have pitchers checked without having actual evidence of a possible sticky substance. “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.)” the memo states.

Scherzer wasn’t the only pitcher miffed Tuesday night. Oakland Athletics pitcher Sergio Romo had a similar thought to Scherzer and wanted to remove his pants for inspection. Umpires were less successful in convincing Romo to keep his pants on.

Watch above via, MASN

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