Mild-mannered Nationals shortstop Trea Turner earned his first career ejection Thursday.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Turner, facing an 0-2 count, took the called strike three from Mets starter Jacob deGrom to end the sixth inning.
Turner, who already struck out twice, turned to argue with umpire Doug Eddings, and then quickly turned away. When he turned around to argue a second time, he got the hook, just as manager Dave Martinez walked onto the field to argue on his behalf.
Turner probably had a valid argument.
Call hurts #OnePursuitStrike 3 should be ball 1Bot 6 deGrom vs Turner16% call same2.1in from edge pic.twitter.com/TwoF0KkTWF
— Nats Strike Zone (@NationalsUmp) April 5, 2018And that one wasn’t really close. The frustration warranted on that call, from Turner and the Nats.
— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) April 5, 2018The Nats only trailed 4-2 at the time. But the wheels came off soon after, as Nats reliever Brandon Kintzler, taking over for Stephen Strasburg, allowed four runs in the seventh on a Jay Bruce grand slam to put the Mets up 8-2.
Turner's ejection put the Nats in a precarious position defensively, with a limited bench after Adam Eaton exited the game in the fifth.
Turner is called out on strikes, and he gets tossed for arguing. Didn't like the call in his first AB either. Nats have a short bench, shorter with Eaton down. Can't happen.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) April 5, 2018Follow @ChrisLingebach and @1067TheFan on Twitter
