The ball gets away from @Noahsyndergaard, he is asked to leave. @lverrett4 will enter with one out in the 3rd. #Mets pic.twitter.com/SFmeM3hv5M
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2016
NEW YORK — In the third inning of the sixth game between the New York Mets and the Dodgers this season, Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard was ejected for throwing a pitch behind the back of Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley.
Here’s a closer look at the pitch in question, the first pitch Utley saw in his second plate appearance:
Noah Syndergaard just got tossed for THIS! https://t.co/bJhaVB5QyB
— MLB Memes (@MLBMeme) May 29, 2016
Home plate umpire Adam Hamari issued the ejection swiftly. Mets manager Terry Collins was also ejected after a long, face-to-face argument. Utley retreated to the dugout while the argument played out and did not return until reliever Logan Verrett had completed his warm-up tosses.
Ever since Utley’s controversial slide in the 2015 National League Division Series broke the leg of then-Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, the veteran was the focus of possible retaliation on the Mets’ part. Until Saturday, nothing had happened. Utley batted once against the Mets in Game 5 of the Division Series — five days after his slide — and 20 more times this season without incident.
But Hamari’s quick trigger Saturday suggests a strict warning was still in place, more than seven months after the original incident.
Verrett relieved Syndergaard with a 1-0 count on Utley and struck him out to a standing ovation at Citi Field. Utley has been booed throughout the series — during pregame introductions, when he bats, and whenever he touches the ball on defense.