Home WORLD NEWS Phillies’ Joe Girardi ejected after challenging Nationals’ Max Scherzer to a fight – NJ.com

Phillies’ Joe Girardi ejected after challenging Nationals’ Max Scherzer to a fight – NJ.com

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Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, right, is checked for foreign substances during the middle of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Philadelphia. AP

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies manager Joe Girardi appeared to challenge Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer to a fight and was ejected Tuesday night.

Scherzer, after being checked for illegal substances three times in four innings, glared at Girardi while walking off the mound after retiring the Phillies in the fifth inning by striking out J.T. Realmuto. When Girardi jumped out of the dugout and motioned for Scherzer to come over and confront him, home plate umpire Tim Timmons ejected him.

As Girardi was being escorted from the field by his coaches, Scherzer raised both hands in the Nationals’ dugout as if to signal “I’m clean,” and then took off his cap in a final taunt.

MLB guidance says: “Starting pitchers will have more than one mandatory check per game,” but Scherzer visibly was frustrated by the first two checks. The issue escalated when Girardi asked umps to check Scherzer a third time in the bottom of the fourth inning after Alec Bohm struck out for the first out. The Nationals led, 3-1.

Scherzer glared at Girardi and laughed, then threw his glove and hat on the ground and removed his belt. As Scherzer was being checked, Girardi stood outside the dugout and watched.

The game was delayed several minutes, but no evidence of any foreign substance was found.

Scherzer pitched in five innings, striking out eight and allowing one run on two hits. Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler was also checked for substances after the first inning.

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