Phillies manager Joe Girardi seemed to challenge Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer to a battle and was ejected Tuesday night.
Scherzer, in the wake of being checked for illicit substances three times in four innings, frowned at Girardi while walking off the mound subsequent to retiring the Phillies in the fifth inning by striking out J.T. Realmuto. At the point when Girardi leaped out of the dugout and motioned for Scherzer to come over and go up against him, home plate umpire Tim Timmons ejected him.
As Girardi was being accompanied from the field by his mentors, Scherzer lifted two hands in the Nationals’ hole as though to flag “I’m clean,” and afterward removed his cap in a final taunt.
MLB guidance says: “Starting pitchers will have more than one mandatory check per game,” except Scherzer apparently was disappointed by the first two checks. The issue heightened when Girardi asked umps check Scherzer a third time in the bottom of the fourth inning after Alec Bohm struck out for the first out. The Nationals led, 3-1.
Scherzer frowned at Girardi and giggled, then, at that point threw his glove and cap on the ground and eliminated his belt. As Scherzer was being checked, Girardi remained outside the hole and watched.
The game was postponed a few minutes, yet no proof of any foreign substance was found.
Scherzer contributed five innings, striking out eight and permitting one run on two hits. Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler was likewise checked for substances after the first inning.
