Dave Martinez has had enough with umpires calling Trea Turner out for runner interference. The Washington Nationals manager’s frustration boiled over in the seventh, resulting in his ejection after throwing and kicking first base.
The sequence started when Turner struck out swinging but the ball got past Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. Turner tried to advance running to first base. Contreras’s throw clipped Turner as he was reaching the first base bag. Turner was called out for interference, a call made when a runner runs out of the base line.
Martinez didn’t agree with the call because it appeared Turner ran a straight line. Martinez then let the umpires know it. That earned him an ejection but sparked Martinez to go into second gear with his tirade.
In Lloyd McClendon fashion, Martinez then made a beeline for the first base bag. After removing it from the dirt, he throw it and then kicked it to delight of the Wrigley Field crowd.
A fired up Martinez then exited the clubhouse without further incident.
The sequence was reminiscent of Game 6 of the 2019 World Series in which Turner was called out for interference and Martinez argued the call emphatically, getting ejected as well.
It’s safe to say Martinez doesn’t give two pennies about the interpretation of base-running interference by umpires. Meanwhile, Turner has to be rethinking what’s a straight line.
