Red Sox's Benintendi 'Shocked' by Ejection for Saying 'You Suck' About Umpire
June 12, 2019
Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi was surprised by his ejection during the fifth inning of Boston's 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
Benintendi was tossed by first base umpire Vic Carapazza after making a comment in reference to home plate umpire Angel Hernandez, according to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald:
"I wasn't expecting that at all. I'm walking back to the dugout and he throws me out walking back. I didn't know until I was halfway through the dugout.
"I thought it was off the plate, but I didn't say anything to Angel. I grounded out and I was frustrated and all I said was, 'You suck.' Angel didn't even know I was thrown out until I went back out there. Obviously he didn't hear that and I'm 100 feet away. Vic throws me out walking back."
Benintendi grounded out to end his at-bat, but he took particular issue with a called first strike (Ejection begins at 2:56 mark).
Following Benintendi's ejection, manager Alex Cora raced onto the field to stand up for his player, and he thrown out as well.
Benintendi didn't feel as though the punishment fit the crime, adding, "If you're getting thrown out for saying 'you suck,' there should be multiple ejections each game."
Hernandez didn't offer specifics regarding Benintendi's ejection, saying only that the outfielder "violated the rules of the game."
Benintendi went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in the loss, as Boston fell to 34-34 on the season.
It has been a difficult start to the season for a Red Sox team that went 108-54 and won the World Series in 2018. Boston is third in the American League East, and it trails both the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays by eight games.
The Red Sox are also three games behind the Rangers for the final wild-card spot in the AL.
After the disappointment of Tuesday's loss, Benintendi and the Red Sox will have a chance to bounce back Wednesday when they host Texas in the third game of a four-game set.