MLB pitchers ejected, fined after nationwide anthem standoff goes too far

A nationwide anthem standoff between Boston Crimson Sox reliever Kutter Crawford and Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm not solely resulted in an ejection, MLB has fined them as effectively.

There have been standoffs prior to now in a number of sports activities, with gamers eager to be the final one off the sector, court docket or ice following the anthem.

However with MLB’s new pitch clock necessities, umpires needed to eject each gamers after receiving a warning they might be thrown out in the event that they didn’t return into their respective dugouts.

Being that Crawford is on the 15-day injured checklist in the mean time, his advantageous for being ejected is far increased than Strahm’s, however Crimson Sox supervisor Alex Cora stated that he’ll be getting assist from a sure teammate.

“I do know there’s a man that went to the identical college as him that’s in all probability going to deal with that,” he stated.

Chris Sale and Crawford each attended Florida Gulf Coast College, in order that’s the place the assistance could possibly be coming.

Strahm, who was teammates with Crawford and the remainder of the Crimson Sox, defined the state of affairs to WEEI’s Rob Bradford.

“Zero of it was deliberate,” he stated.

“Simply, anthem was over, and I regarded throughout, and Kutter form of gave me a smile, and I knew precisely what that grin meant, so [I] simply stood there.

“If me, competitors is every little thing to me, so form of felt like I used to be being known as out proper there. Trying again on it, in all probability not the wisest resolution I’ve made in my big-league profession.”

It’s unknown how a lot Crawford and Strahm have been fined.