Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña did not like a call in Tuesday’s game.
Home plate umpire Jerry Layne did not like the fact that Peña did not like the call.
Astros hitting coach Alex Cintrón did not like the call either, or Layne’s actions afterward.
Add it all up and you get a bizarre umpire-batter confrontation at home plate followed by an ejection.
The trouble started in the bottom of the third inning, when Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan threw a pitch that was slightly outside, and Layne called a strike.
Peña immediately began questioning the call, glancing a couple of times in Layne’s direction. It was not the first questionable call by Layne during the game. In fact, Peña, the 2022 World Series MVP, might have been saying something about a called strike in his first at-bat when he talked back to Layne.
Suddenly, Layne leaned into the batter’s box to confront Peña, creating a strange scene.
Umpire Jerry Layne gets a call wrong, then steps over to Jeremy Peña’s face to defend the call. #UmpShow ⚾️🙄👮♂️👮♂️👮♂️👮♂️👮♂️pic.twitter.com/qsyRjcvUre
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) May 31, 2023
Meanwhile, Cintrón angrily protested the situation from the dugout, earning a quick ejection.
It was just the latest umpires gone wild incident in MLB, most seemingly arising from balls and strikes disputes. For many fans, the automated strike zone can’t come soon enough. Twitter quickly reacted to Layne’s inappropriate behavior…
This is embarrassing from the umpire.
Getting in the face of a player is unacceptable.
Getting in the face of Jeremy Peña, whose reputation around MLB is as a respectful player, even worse. pic.twitter.com/GQPeZi5Dl0
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) May 31, 2023
@Skope69 have you ever seen an ump get in a player’s face like this old fart did tonight to Jeremy Peña? https://t.co/QEA9dPQLhb
— Rene Tarantino (@bigrendawg313) May 31, 2023
It never seems they are held accountable
— Lisa Fast (@dermadiva1) May 31, 2023
@dermadiva1 looked close to being a strike BUT getting in the batters face is uncalled for and outrageous
— Kevin (@Kevin_9__) May 31, 2023
Umpires hate when players show them up, but what about when the umpire shows up a player like this??
— Ryan Hile (@Ryan_Hile) May 31, 2023
Egregious disrespect by the Ump. Batters will argue a bad call all the damn time but you do not step up into their box like that.
— Matt Rentner (@MattyIce6491) May 31, 2023
@MLB your umpire Jerry Layne needs to be disciplined for the way he acted against Jeremy Pena. That is uncalled for and very bad for the game.
— Josh Merritt (@merrittj27) May 31, 2023
[Photo Credit: AT&T Sportsnet]
