The Chicago Cubs finished Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Washington Nationals under protest following repeated complaints from manager Joe Maddon over Nationals closer Sean Doolittle’s delivery, according to Brittany Ghiroli of the Athletic.
Maddon interrupted the ninth inning twice to argue to umpires about Doolittle’s toe tap before throwing his pitch. Doolittle appeared unfazed with the either interruption, finishing out the inning with one strikeout and not allowing a hit to give the Nationals the win.
After Maddon walked out a second time, umpires went to video review to presumably look at Doolittle’s approach. However, play was resume without any punishment to the closer. It was at that time, Chicago immediately protested the game.
“In our judgment, he wasn’t doing anything illegal,” crew chief Sam Holbrook stated following the game per Byron Kerr of MASN. “Doolittle was not doing anything illegal.”
The sequenced occurred with the Cubs having one out in the frame.
“I got nothing against Doolittle. He’s great. It’s the principle of it. I didn’t want that argument,” Maddon said in the aftermath per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
Doolittle was not amused by the gamesmanship by the Cubs manager.
“In that moment he’s not trying to do anything other than rattle me, Doolittle,” added per Byron Kerr. “And it was kind of tired. I don’t know, sometimes he has to remind people how smart he is and how much he pays attention to the game.”
Doolittle recorded his eighth save of the season and lowered his ERA to 1.71.
