Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton right, argues with home plate umpire Nic Lentz, left, after being ejected during the sixth inning as his team takes on the Cincinnati Reds in the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
If he is not fired, I will leave the Pittsburgh Pirates head coach, as he has a misunderstanding with his star player.
Plate umpire Nic Lentz removed Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, bench coach Don Kelly, and pitching coach Oscar Marin during the same at-bat on Sunday night during the doubleheader nightcap against the Cincinnati Reds due to arguments over ball/strike decisions in the sixth inning.
Luke Maile walked with two outs, loading the bases and giving Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead. TJ Friedl hit an inning-ending flyout off Cody Bolton following the ejections. In the tenth inning, the Reds came back to win 6-5 and split the doubleheader.
Following the ejections, Mike Rabelo, the third base coach, assumed the role of acting manager.
Following the game, Shelton stated that the Pirates were not satisfied with Bryan Reynolds’ third strike call in the bottom of the fifth. Then, two balls that were called balls to Maile on counts of 1-2 and 3-2 confused them.
Shelton remarked, “I asked (Lentz) on the pitch where Reynolds struck out an inning earlier.” “I told him I didn’t think it was up, and he told me it was up.” I believe that the two pitches that Maile received were made in the same area.
After the game, crew chief and second base umpire Chad Fairchild talked with a pool reporter.
Fairchild remarked, “They were warned to stop.” “When Nic turned to look, he saw several
