Blue Jay George Springer Ejected After Blown Hit-By-Pitch Call

A controversial ruling that Toronto outfielder George Springer was not hit by a pitch from Kenny Rosenberg of the Angels nearly led to the Blue Jays outfielder coming to blows with plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.

During the seventh inning of Toronto’s 6-1 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday night, Springer clearly appeared to be hit on the right foot by a ball in the dirt that got away from Rosenberg and he began walking down to first base.

However, the 34-year-old slugger had to come back to the batter’s box after Gonzalez ruled that the 1-2 offering from LA’s lefty reliever had not made contact with the batter.

Springer obviously was not happy about it, but it was only after Gonzalez’s call was upheld on replay after a Toronto challenge that the veteran, who has only been ejected twice in his 11-year career, lost his cool.

Enraged by the call not being reversed by MLB’s replay command center in New York, Springer took out his frustration on Gonzalez and was ejected from the game. After being tossed, Springer continued his tirade against the umpire and had to be held back from making the situation worse by manager John Schneider and teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

“I don’t need to see the replay. I’m not going to say it didn’t hit me if it didn’t hit me. I know it hit me in the foot, but it is what it is,” Springer said after the win. “I know the rule. He knows the rule. I was just kind of in shock at that call. If you argue the call on that situation, it’s an automatic ejection. I get it.”

Clearly more calm after the game, Springer expressed remorse about losing his temper. “I gotta be better,” Springer said, via MLB.com. “There’s kids in the stands. I don’t want my sons to see me get that mad. So, I gotta be better.”

It’s nice for Springer to say, but it’s really MLB’s replay center that had to be better in this instance as the blown call by Gonzalez should have been reversed.