The Cincinnati Reds didn’t go down without a fight in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to the Kansas City Royals—nor did their manager. In a tense ninth inning, Terry Francona was ejected following a fiery argument over a controversial strike call, which also led to pitcher Nick Martinez getting tossed. The incident quickly spread across social media, reigniting discussions about umpiring in Major League Baseball. Known for usually keeping his cool with officials, Francona stormed out to challenge the call and was ejected soon after.
The drama began when home plate umpire Carlos Torres called Matt McLain out on a borderline low third strike. Martinez voiced his displeasure from the dugout and was immediately ejected.
A video shared by Jomboy Media on X (formerly Twitter) captured the entire sequence.
The clip quickly made the rounds on social media, intensifying fan outrage over the controversial call. The ejections not only shifted the game’s dynamics but also added another chapter to Terry Francona’s long-standing history of clashes with umpires. Bob Nightengale of USA Today provided historical context on X (formerly Twitter), noting:
“Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona was ejected for the 52nd time in his career tonight. He is one of 25 managers to be ejected 50 or more times, and third on the active list behind Bruce Bochy (87) and Bob Melvin (66). Bobby Cox is the all-time leader with 162 ejections.”
The timing of Francona’s ejection was especially costly for the Reds, now sitting at 28-29. Nick Martinez had been preparing for a potential save, and his sudden ejection forced an impromptu bullpen shuffle.
The game also renewed scrutiny over the consistency of MLB umpiring. Carlos Torres, who previously made headlines for ejecting Stephen Strasburg in 2020, found himself back under the spotlight.
Though it’s only May, the Reds-Royals matchup had a playoff-like atmosphere, and the fallout from the ninth-inning chaos may carry lingering effects on team morale and strategy. As frustration with umpiring grows, calls for automated strike zones could gain traction once again.
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