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New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Rays' Taylor Walls fumes at umpire after being ejected in heated scene
One tap too many, apparently. Rays shortstop Taylor Walls was ejected during the ninth inning of Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Astros for apparently tapping his helmet. The act was a nod to baseball's incoming Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system, which is expected to be implemented in 2027. Walls saw just one pitch from Astros closer Josh Hader, a slider down and away, which was clearly out of the strike zone, yet was called a strike by home plate umpire Nic Lentz. Advertisement The light-hitting shortstop then said something inaudible to the umpire and stepped out of the batter's box, tapping his helmet potentially in a mocking request to challenge the call. 5 Taylor Walls taps his helmet during the ninth inning of Sunday's game. X, @MLBONFOX However, that is not yet allowed in the league, and he was swiftly ejected. Advertisement Walls, who is hitting just .188 this year after hitting .183 in 2024, went berserk after the ejection. Walls' aggressive reaction shocked broadcasters, as well as coaches, who were unable to corral him in an attempt to deescalate the situation and saw him run back at the umpire. Lentz gave a clear explanation of the ejection, adding that it was because of the way he tapped his helmet, which ignited the fury-filled aftermath. Advertisement 5 Umpire Nic Lentz ejects Taylor Walls X, @MLBONFOX 5 Taylor Walls goes wild at Nic Lentz during ejection. X, @MLBONFOX After the game, Walls denied mocking the umpire with a mock-challenge request and that he didn't even remember the heated back and forth. 'I just remember going to get into the box, kind of adjusting my helmet, and then hearing him mouthing something,' Walls told FanDuel's Ryan Bass. Advertisement 'I think I said, huh, like, 'What'd you say? I can't hear you.' At that point, I have no recollection of it, but after seeing the video, it looks like I tapped my helmet, but it was totally unintentional, something I was not consciously aware of at all,' Walls went on. 'I'm looking right at him when I'm doing it with no sincere, at that point, maybe I was frustrated with the strike call, but there was no sincerity of trying to show the guy up. 5 Taylor Walls is held back by coaches during an ejection. X, @MLBONFOX 'I don't know how he didn't see that in the moment, but I'm looking right at him. We're so confused, trying to understand what he said and I think it was just a mannerism that happened because I was stepping into the box, kind of re-adjusting my helmet at the time, and that just happened. He comes out, and he's like, 'We're not doing that. You're out of here,' and tosses me. 'So, at this point, I have no idea that I just, what looked like to him, tapped my helmet, so I'm ticked off. I'm like, what are you talking about? I didn't say anything to you. I'm asking you what you said, and [I] had no recollection that I even made a gesture that looked like that. Never in my life have I shown an umpire [up] like [that], been that disrespectful to do something like that. We didn't even have the ABS in spring training, so just to be so on edge thinking that somebody's just trying to be so disrespectful and show you up at that point, I think it was premature.' 5 Taylor Walls goes back for more at umpire Nic Lentz. X, @MLBONFOX The Rays are now in third place in the AL East with a 30-29 record after losing two of three to the Astros. They open up a three-game set with the Rangers on Monday.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Seething MLB star Taylor Walls in shocking clash with umpire after ejection
Tampa Bay Rays star Taylor Walls was seething during a shocking outburst with home-plate umpire Nic Lentz on Sunday, leading to his ejection and needing to be restrained multiple times. Walls did not agree with a strike call against the Houston Astros and was visibly frustrated. After tapping his helmet a few times, Lentz stopped play and tossed the Rays star from the contest. The ejection immediately had Walls seeing red, with him angrily talking to Lentz before being briefly separated by Rays manager Kevin Cash. Taylor Walls was ejected from the game after tapping his helmet. (via @SpaceCityHN) — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 1, 2025 Rays star Taylor Walls was seething during a shocking outburst with home-plate umpire
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rays' Taylor Walls ejected after tapping on helmet, erupting at umpire in loss to Astros
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls was livid on Sunday afternoon at Daikin Park. Walls was thrown out of the Rays' 1-0 loss to the Houston Astros after he got into it with home plate umpire Nick Lentz over what he thought was a missed call. Walls then batted the top of his helmet just barely, which is what prompted Lentz to throw him out of the game. Advertisement Once Walls realized what had happened, he was furious. He had to be held back multiple times before finally making his way into the clubhouse. 'I said that ball's down, and then I heard the dugout kind of yapping at him a little bit,' Walls said, via Fan Duel's Ryan Bass. 'I may have reiterated that ball's way down, but past that, I didn't say anything. I was ticked off.' The issue, it seemed, was that Walls tapped the top of his helmet — which was the same gesture that players used to call for a challenge throughout spring training. That, however, wasn't carried over into the regular season. That gesture, Walls insisted, was accidental. 'I have no recollection of it, but after seeing the video, it looks like I tapped my helmet,' he said. 'But it was totally unintentional, something I was not consciously aware of at all. I'm looking right at him when I'm doing it with no sincere, at that point, maybe I was frustrated with the strike call, but there was no sincerity of trying to show the guy up … He comes out, and he's like, we're not doing that. You're out of here, and tosses me.' The Astros held on and closed out the half inning to grab the 1-0 win. They scored their only run of the night in the first inning after Christian Walker hit an RBI single. The Rays, who now sit at 30-29 on the year, had just two hits in the game. They'll be back in action on Tuesday when they kick off a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at home. Advertisement While Walls said he felt bad for his reaction, he's not sure he's entirely in the wrong here.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Rays' Taylor Walls was ejected for tapping his helmet after blown call
During spring training, MLB made the decision to test an automated strike zone (ABS) with a ball-strike challenge system for a majority of Grapefruit and Cactus League games. And to signal a challenge, a batter would tap on his helmet after a pitch. Simple enough. It's safe to say that umpire Nic Lentz did *not* appreciate the callback to the ABS testing. Advertisement With Taylor Walls staying in the game to hit in the ninth on Sunday against the Astros, he watched a first-pitch slider from Josh Hader miss low and away. Yet, Lentz called the pitch a strike, and Walls couldn't believe it. Walls called time to try to collect himself after having his entire approach changed in the at-bat. He also had some words with Lentz about the call. But everything took a turn when Walls tapped his helmet. Lentz took exception to the gesture and casually walked in front of home plate to inform Walls that he was ejected. Like, I don't think I've ever seen an umpire eject someone so nonchalantly. Advertisement Walls, understandably, was livid. Umpires hate being shown up, and they have a quick trigger for arguing balls and strikes. But tapping on the helmet was an awfully tame way to express, "I disagree." Walls had to be restrained by his coaches before breaking out of those restraints and having more words for Lentz. All that over a helmet tap that Lentz really should have let slide. Walls was right, after all — the call was missed. Christopher Morel would have to hit in Walls' place, and he promptly struck out. The Astros held on to win, 1-0. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Rays' Taylor Walls was ejected for tapping helmet after blown call
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Taylor Walls ejected, has to be restrained in heated argument during Rays' 1-0 loss to Houston
HOUSTON (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays infielder Taylor Walls was ejected Sunday in the ninth inning of a 1-0 loss to Houston and had to be restrained during a prolonged argument. Walls appeared to tap his helmet after taking a called strike, which is a signal for challenging a call when the Automated Ball-Strike System is used. The ABS is not, however, being used in regular-season big league games yet, and plate umpire Nic Lentz seemed to take issue with the gesture. The clash escalated from there, with Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash coming out to talk to Lentz and try to keep Walls away from him. Walls was walked back toward the dugout before breaking free and charging at a couple umpires who were in the home plate area. He was quickly grabbed from behind by first base coach Michael Johns, and this time Rays outfielder Josh Lowe walked him back to dugout. ___
