WATCH: Aroldis Chapman gets tossed for mouthing home plate umpire in Pirates vs. Mets game
Aroldis Chapman, the reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates, faced not only a tough inning, but also an early exit from Monday night’s game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Chapman was ejected from the game for mouthing home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso after conceding Harrison Bader’s two-run double in the eighth inning, which gave the Mets the lead.
The Pirates had a good 3-0 lead at the start of the game thanks to strategic hits and a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, but the Mets quickly answered and tied the game by the end of the sixth with a string of singles, a walk with the bases full, and a crucial Pirates error. The momentum changed when Chapman, after a series of pitches, gave up the decisive double to Bader. Chapmen exchanged heated words with the umpire, leading to his ejection from the game.
Chapman has been struggling with his form lately, and this event made an already rough night even worse. His ejection made it clear that the Pittsburgh Pirates still face trouble with their bullpen, which has been getting a lot of attention lately because of several late-game collapses this season. Roansy Contreras took over Chapman but couldn’t stop Bader from scoring, further extending the Mets’ lead.
The New York Mets have returned to .500 after a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The New York Mets comeback and eventual 6-3 win brought their season record back to .500, marking a big improvement from their earlier struggles. For the Pirates, the game was a missed chance to secure a win and possibly stabilize their poor bullpen performance.
Chapman’s ejection is another of a series of heated moments between umpires and players this MLB season. These events have led to talks about player behavior and the consistency behind umpire calls. For the Pirates to turn their season around, they will need to focus on controlling the reliability of their bullpen and the emotions of their players as the season progresses.