TAMPA -- Manager Kevin Cash was ejected during the eighth inning of the Rays’ 8-4 win over the Astros on Wednesday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field following a fiery argument with home-plate umpire Jim Wold and crew chief Alan Porter.
The disagreement was over an inning-ending strikeout, as Edwin Uceta got Yainer Diaz to offer at a 2-2 fastball that hit Diaz's hand. Even though the fastball hit Diaz, it was ruled a strikeout because an appeal to first-base umpire Brian Walsh determined that he swung at the pitch.
As the Rays left the field, umpires conferred with Astros manager Joe Espada for some time. Porter appeared as if he was about to announce that Houston was challenging the call when Cash exited the Rays’ dugout to discuss the situation.
“I've got to get some clarification on everything, and I'll talk to Major League Baseball. I understand everybody is trying to get it right,” Cash said after the game. “From my point of view -- I'm not saying that this is right -- they called him out on the field immediately, as in a strikeout, [so] it's over. There's nothing to challenge.
“We checked to see if he swung. At that point, that negates a hit-by-pitch. You can get hit by a pitch and swing the bat, and you're going to get docked for a swing. So, I didn't see the point of going to review from any of that anytime after.”
Asked if he was informed that umpires were going to review to see whether the pitch hit Diaz’s hand or the knob of his bat first, Cash said he assumed that was the case but he wasn’t made aware immediately.
“I wasn't privy to those conversations on the other side. The other thing is that we have to come out and you have to clarify, ‘Hey, I'm going to challenge this call. I want an explanation.’ Forty seconds went by, and then there was a challenge -- I’m being told, a crew chief challenge.”
While certain foul balls aren’t reviewable, hit-by-pitch calls are. Porter explained to a pool reporter that the umpires “had to get to those terms,” which was a factor in the delayed challenge.
“They thought that it was a foul ball. So, now, you have to get to ‘not hit-by-pitch’ [as opposed to] ‘not foul ball.’ So that's the terminology that was kind of being thrown around out there,” Porter said. “They thought it was a foul ball. OK, so now, we have to get to, ‘What do you want to challenge?’ Challenge that it is not a hit-by-pitch? Because hit-by-pitch or not hit-by-pitch is the only thing that is reviewable.
“Once we get to that process, yes, it took a little while, but crew chief-wise, I am allowed to extend that time if I feel necessary. Under the regulations, I am allowed to do that.”
While Cash made his case to the umpires, Uceta and catcher Ben Rortvedt returned to the field to warm up, in case the inning wound up continuing. Cash was eventually ejected for the first time this season and the 19th time in his career following an unusually animated display of emotion; several Rays players, including veteran Yandy Díaz, said they had never seen him that fired up.
“He got after it today,” outfielder Josh Lowe said. “I wish I could hear a hot mic on that one, but cool to see.”
Cash was led off the field by bench coach Rodney Linares after his ejection, then stormed back onto the field to continue the argument. That could lead to further discipline, as Rule 6.04(d) states, “When a manager, player, coach or trainer is ejected from a game, he shall leave the field immediately and take no further part in that game. He shall remain in the clubhouse or change to street clothes and either leave the park or take a seat in the grandstand well removed from the vicinity of his team’s bench or bullpen.”
In the end, the play was reviewed -- and the call was upheld: Diaz struck out, and the game went on.
Senior Reporter Adam Berry covers the Rays for MLB.com and covered the Pirates from 2015-21.