Max Scherzer pitched lights-out baseball against thePhiladelphia Phillies on Tuesday.- Scherzer was checked twice through the first three innings following the
MLB 's new policy. - When Phillies manager
Joe Girardi called for a third check, Scherzer was livid.
Pitching against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night, Scherzer struck out the first three batters he faced. He was checked by the umpires twice through the first three innings, with neither check turning up anything suspicious.
After Scherzer's seventh strikeout, in the fourth inning, Phillies manager Joe Girardi called for another check, sending the Nationals pitcher into a fit.
As the umpire approached him, Scherzer threw his hat to the ground and reached for his belt, insisting that he was pitching clean.
-FOXSports : MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 23, 2021
Scherzer closed out the inning and walked off the mound while staring daggers at Girardi in the opposing dugout. Girardi came out of the dugout to make his case and was promptly ejected.
In the Nationals dugout, Scherzer held up his hat and his hand, showing again that he was pitching with nothing but his hands.
-Justin Groc (@jgroc) June 23, 2021
MLB has caused some drama in recent days since declaring that it would be more active in preventing pitchers from using foreign substances on the mound.
The league has been met with resistance from several star pitchers, and now, with Scherzer's blowup on the mound, is seeing the results of its decision.