Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Phillies

UPDATE: Max Scherzer Loses His Mind, Joe Girardi Ejected Over Sticky Substance Check(s)

Bob Wankel

By Bob Wankel

Published:

The Nationals made Phillies starter Zack Wheeler throw 36 pitches and quickly built a 2-0 lead during the first inning of tonight’s game.

Nationals starter Max Scherzer, on the other hand, struck out the side on 17 pitches, and though the two had very different early results, each was checked for foreign substances as they left the mound.

Wheeler played along. I mean, what the hell else is he going to do, right? Is he going to throw a fit? He’s not gonna show up the umpires for doing their job. After all, this is exactly what baseball said was coming. Know what I mean?

Exactly.

UPDATE: But the Scherzer investigation didn’t end there. He was again checked following the third inning.

This time, I’ll give it to him. I can see why he would be annoyed.

DOUBLE UPDATE: Aaaaaanddd make it once more in the bottom of the fourth.

Phillies manager Joe Girardi said before the game that he would ask a pitcher to be checked if he suspected something, but wouldn’t do so simply for the purposes of gamesmanship. Clearly, Girardi suspected something here because, I mean, holy shit

TRIPLE UPDATE: Girardi has been ejected following the fifth inning.

Can’t wait to hear from these guys after this one. Far more entertaining than the game itself.

Bob Wankel
Bob Wankel

Bob Wankel covers the Phillies for Crossing Broad. He is also the Vice President of Sports Betting Content at SportRadar. On Twitter: @Bob_Wankel E-mail: b.wankel@sportradar.com

Advertise With Us