Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls went ballistic in Sunday’s road game against the Houston Astros.
On Walls’ at-bat in the bottom of the ninth inning, umpire Nic Lentz called a low 84 mph slider from Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader a strike. The shortstop took issue with the call, tapping his helmet, the signal for challenging when the Automated Ball-Strike System is used. Of course, the ABS is not yet used in regular-season major league games.
This offended Lentz, who ejected Walls from the game. After berating the umpire, he charged at home plate again before coaches and teammates grabbed him and made him walk back toward the dugout.
