It was an emotional and confusing night for the Blue Jays on Tuesday and they are still none too happy about having their pitcher and two of their coaches ejected from what became a deflating 6-5 loss to the host New York Yankees.
Blue Jays pitcher Yimi Garcia was ejected in the sixth inning of a 3-3 ballgame vs. the Yankees for hitting Josh Donaldson.
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) May 11, 2022
Did the umpires get the call right?
@Sportsnetpic.twitter.com/iZIOTpZeZx
After New York tied the game up 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Toronto reliever Yimi Garcia pegged Yankees batter Josh Donaldson in the arm with a pitch. The umpire then ejected Garcia, which prompted a very angry response from the 31-year-old right-hander. Manager Charlie Montoyo and members of the Blue Jays coaching staff ran onto the field demanding an explanation, which resulted in Montoyo and pitching coach Pete Walker being ejected as well.
As the TV broadcast -- and many, many viewers on social media -- pointed out, it is highly unlikely Garcia beaned Donaldson on purpose late in a tied ballgame. So, naturally, the swiftness with which Garcia, Montoyo, and Walker were ejected left the team pretty upset.
Bo Bichette on the mayhem: "There’s no reason anybody would try to hit anybody in a 3-3 game. There was just as much reason for us to hit him as them to hit me which is none.
— Rob Longley (@longleysunsport) May 11, 2022
Montoyo on the mayhem: "I’m proud of my team for coming back after all of that shit. Believe me, we could have said, ‘Oh the umpires are against us.' We battled back." #Bluejays
— Rob Longley (@longleysunsport) May 11, 2022
Crew chief Alfonso Marquez later explained his rationale for Garcia's ejection by noting that Donaldson appeared to have a confrontation with Jays catcher Tyler Heineman earlier in the game -- which he apparently figured made Garcia's beanball intentional.
What was the game situation? Marquez said that earlier in the game Donaldson and Jays catcher Tyler Heineman exchanged some "pretty strong words." Can't make this crap up ... https://t.co/2z6Ap51OoZ
— Rob Longley (@longleysunsport) May 11, 2022
Donaldson later said he didn't think Garcia hit him intentionally. Not that that mattered at that point, as Aaron Judge hit a walk-off home run to solidify the stinging loss for Toronto.
Montoyo was also suspended for Wednesday's finale at Yankee Stadium. It's anyone's guess how contentious that game is going to be after the chaos from Tuesday night.
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