Madison Bumgarner pitched just one inning for the Diamondbacks against the Marlins on Wednesday before being ejected following a strange confrontation with first base umpire Dan Bellino.
During a routine foreign substance check on Bumgarner's hands after the inning, Bellino held Bumgarner's hand and stared down the pitcher, prompting Bumgarner to say something to Bellino as he walked away.
Bellino immediately tossed Bumgarner, forcing the Diamondbacks to go to the bullpen early.
Madison Bumgarner has been ejected. Lots happening here. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/SGl0tZIQZM
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 4, 2022
Bumgarner was visibly annoyed with a few calls early in the game by home plate umpire Ryan Willis.
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Bally Sports Arizona noted the difference in Bumgarner's palm reading and the standard quick checks on Marlins starter Elisier Hernandez by third base umpire Adrian Johnson.
The difference between MadBum's and Hernandez's hand checks is striking. pic.twitter.com/CRPOuRXBUE
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 4, 2022
This is Bumgarner's second career ejection, with his only other one coming in 2018 with the Giants (incidentally also in Miami). In that game Bumgarner was arguing balls and strikes regularly, eventually getting booted leaving the mound after the sixth inning.
Bumgarner does have a minor history with Bellino, as the umpire was behind the plate for the pitcher's next start after that June 2018 ejection and squeezed his strike zone a bit. However, if Bumgarner took issue with every umpire who got a call wrong he'd have a grudge against the entire league. On the other hand, he does appear to at times.
Why do umpires check pitchers' hands?
MLB's crackdown on "sticky stuff," or tacky substances that can affect the spin of a pitch, is due to the prevalence of foreign substances being used by MLB pitchers, most notably from 2018 to 2020.
MLB cracked down on sticky stuff last season, with part of the league's initiative being checks of pitchers' hands as they leave the field after an inning.
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The check is usually a cursory swipe, as opposed to the strange actions of Bellino in this check. Bumgarner was apparently frustrated by the length of the check.
Bumgarner has struggled in his Diamondbacks career, but he's off to a hot start this season. He has posted a 1.50 ERA in six starts this year and has a 1-1 record.
