​Boston — Willson Contreras of the Red Sox did not believe first-base umpire Nic Lentz needed to eject him after a second-inning moment against the Nationals at Fenway Park, though Lentz stuck with his decision following Boston’s 6-3 win. After striking out swinging, Contreras tapped his helmet several times while returning to the dugout. Lentz ruled that Contreras swung at an outside slider, citing an appeal at first base, and said the slugger did not check his swing.
“I called him out on appeal for the check swing, and as he was walking back to the dugout, he started gesturing, tapping his helmet, like he wanted to challenge something that is not a challengeable call,” Lentz told a pool reporter. “And so disrespect, and again gesturing towards what he thought was an incorrect call, got him removed from the game.” Lentz described the gesture as an automatic ejection when made in a mocking way, even comparing it to drawing a line in the dirt. He noted that the gesture is on the list of things to remove from the game and that, while there can be some discretion, in this case the immediate display of disagreement warranted removal.
Lentz affirmed that the ejection was driven solely by the gesture, not anything Contreras said. Contreras, who said he had a good relationship with Lentz and that they spoke before the game, maintained he did not direct his actions at the umpire and did not even make eye contact with him at the moment of the call. He explained that the only glance he made was to view the umpire’s decision on the check swing.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said he approached Lentz after the ejection to understand what had occurred. Contreras explained that he only realized he had been ejected when a teammate informed him, and he then went to talk to Lentz, who told him, “Because you tapped your helmet.” Contreras insisted he did not make eye contact, did not argue, and did not do anything improper, though he acknowledged the situation was surprising.