San Diego Padres fans react to Manny Machado’s ejection after striking out on a pitch clock violation: "Only person he has to blame is himself"
San Diego Padres superstar Manny Machado was ejected from Tuesday's home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after striking out on a pitch clock violation during his first at-bat.
Machado was rung up by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa to end the first inning after he was not ready to receive the offering from Arizona starter Zac Gallen by the eight-second mark on the automated pitch clock.
As Padres manager Bob Melvin charged out of the dugout towards home plate, Machado argued the call with Kulpa and was eventually ejected.
Manny Machado gets ejected after striking out on a pitch clock violation https://t.co/w71D77ea4f
Many fans supported Kulpa's decision to call Manny Machado out for not adhering to the pitch clock rules. Serving as the San Diego Padres' designated hitter, Machado went through his pre-pitch ritual of adjusting his gloves and knocking dirt out of his spikes before readying himself for Gallen's two-strike pitch.
@JomboyMedia Manny knocked dirt out of his spikes, set his bat down, and adjusted his gloves all before asking for timeout. Only person he has to blame is himself. Ask for time out first, or get ready to hit
@JomboyMedia Manny thinks he’s above the rules
@JomboyMedia All because he HAD to fix his batting gloves lol this is exactly why baseball was becoming boring (along with players failing to adjust to the shift) and the exact reason the pitch clock was implemented. Quit the shenanigans that waste everyone’s time. Be ready
Many other fans were incensed not only by Machado's dismissal, but also the strike three call in the first place. They defended Machado, saying that he had clearly asked for time before delaying the game. While batters are allowed one timeout per plate appearance, clearly Kulpa did not hear Machado ask for time or did not grant the request – which is an umpire's right to do.
@JomboyMedia He was trying to call time
@JomboyMedia Ok wait a minute... Didn't he try to call time before the ump called a violation?
@JomboyMedia @MartyCaswell His body language alone is calling for time out, and he did. Haven’t 90% of time outs been with 2 strikes?
While many argued whether or not Manny Machado should have been ejected, others lamented the fact that the first inning dismissal cost many San Diego Padres fans from seeing one of the game's top stars for the majority of Tuesday's contest.
@JomboyMedia Imagine spending 300$ so you’re family can go see machado play just to be thrown out like that
@JomboyMedia Imagine your parents driving from an hour away in California ($4+/gal) and paying $100+ a ticket to come watch your favorite baseball player as kid only for him to get thrown out in the 1st inning for arguing a strike out on a pitch clock violation when the batter called time out
@JomboyMedia Such an ump show no need to be throwing him out in the first inning there
This isn't the first time that Machado has run afoul of the pitch clock. He went down in history as the first batter to commit a pitch-clock violation under the new rules set forth by MLB after he was docked an automatic strike for not being in the box and ready to receive a pitch in a February spring training game.
@JomboyMedia Shouldnt have tossed him but also...
He knows the rule and he's adjusting his batting gloves TWICE! I mean what did he think would happen
San Diego Padres locked up Manny Machado long term
Manny Machado is in the first season of an 11-year, $350 million contract extension signed in late February. The contract – which runs through 2033 – likely makes Machado, 31, a part of the San Diego Padres for the remainder of his career, as it includes no opt-outs and a full no-trade clause.