Pittsburgh, Pa. - Washington Nationals pitcher Jorge L贸pez was ejected during Wednesday night's contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates after a high pitch directed toward Andrew McCutchen triggered benches to clear. The tense moment happened in the seventh inning of the Pirates game.
L贸pez had just hit batter Bryan Reynolds with a pitch before stepping in to face McCutchen. L贸pez threw a 92 mph fastball that forced McCutchen to quickly drop to the ground to avoid being struck near his head.
Umpires gathered on the mound to discuss the play. Meanwhile, McCutchen and L贸pez exchanged words. This led to both teams' dugouts emptying onto the field. Pirates players including Oneil Cruz worked to hold back outfielder Tommy Pham.
After the situation calmed, home plate umpire Ron Kulpa signaled L贸pez's ejection. Nationals Manager Dave Martinez also argued the decision but later suggested the umpires viewed the intent differently. L贸pez left the dugout briefly to continue arguing before being restrained by coaching staff.
In the same seventh inning, Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz hit a grand slam off reliever Eduardo Salazar, giving Pittsburgh a decisive 6-0 lead. The Pirates ultimately won the game 6-1. McCutchen commented afterward that the incident seemed to light a fire under Cruz.
Major League Baseball announced Thursday that L贸pez received a three-game suspension for intentionally throwing at McCutchen. MLB also suspended Manager Martinez for one game, which he served Thursday. L贸pez has filed an appeal of his suspension and remained eligible to play pending a ruling. The league's announcement came via a social media post reporting the disciplinary action Thursday.
L贸pez spoke after the Pirates game yesterday, saying he regretted the pitch. He told reporters he was not trying to hit McCutchen or Reynolds, attributing the wildness to ongoing issues with his delivery as he attempts to improve his performance.
Some observers suggested the pitch could have been retaliation. On Tuesday, Nationals player Paul DeJong was injured when hit in the face by a pitch from Pirates starter Mitch Keller. Baseball tradition sometimes dictates pitchers respond to such incidents, even when accidental.
Others pointed to L贸pez's recent struggles and past behavior. L贸pez had a high earned run average entering the game. He also had a previous ejection last season while with the Mets, where he threw his glove into the stands and made controversial comments, leading to his designation for assignment by the team. Details of that ejection became public last May.
The incident highlights issues within the Nationals bullpen. Their relievers collectively held baseball's worst earned run average entering Thursday's play. Questions remain whether the pitch near McCutchen was an intentional act of retaliation or simply poor control from a struggling pitcher on a struggling pitching staff. Review of the Nationals' offseason spending shows a conservative approach to acquiring talent, particularly in the bullpen. Spotrac provides figures on the team's free agency investment.
