Laz Diaz put on one of the better (and by "better," we mean more cringeworthy) #umpshows in baseball this season. It included a threat to eject Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and, according to Harper, remarks toward the outfielder that crossed a line.
Diaz, who debuted as an MLB umpire in 1995, took time midgame to loudly tell Nats manager Dave Martinez to "talk to" Harper, who according to The Washington Post had been arguing balls and strikes with Diaz, including from center field. MASN's field microphones caught Diaz's side. Excerpts:
"He needs to cut it out. You need to talk to him. You need to talk to him. . . . You take him or I will, I guarantee you that. . . . That's OK, I'll take care of it. . . . I'll take care of it."
The Post also reported that Diaz yelled at Harper as the outfielder was coming off the field after the fifth inning, and that Harper showed no reaction.
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The next time Harper came to bat, this happened:
Probably the single worst call I've ever seen. Laz Diaz is just guessing at this point. #Braves pic.twitter.com/RtE2tNh4MO
— The Revelator (@ajp1128) September 15, 2018
Was that part of the "taking care" promise? Baiting Harper into an ejection and perhaps a suspension with an egregiously bad call?
Harper told reporters postgame that Diaz took their argument after that call too far.
Bryce indicated that Laz Diaz said something inappropriate during their exchange in Harper’s 7th inning at-bat. Didn’t want to say what Diaz said, but told reporters multiple times to ask Braves catcher Tyler Flowers. “He heard it,” Bryce said.
— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) September 15, 2018
“If I heard him right, then Flowers knows what he said,” Harper said, per the Post. “I'm not gonna go into it because there’s no reason to. But if that’s going to be his strike zone then I have to be prepared to battle my butt off and get that strike zone next time.”
Martinez, who came out to protect Harper during the argument after that pitch, told reporters that Diaz was "saying things" to Harper, although he did not provide specifics.
"I say this all the time, and I'm not going to make comments on balls and strikes there, but umpires are supposed to be non-confrontational, they're supposed to uphold the peace on the baseball field. You know, for me, I think MLB needs to take a look at that, that's all I'm going to say," Martinez said, per Federal Baseball.
No responses from Flowers or Diaz had been reported as of late Friday.
Ultimately, Harper remained in the game, which the Nationals lost to the Braves.
"There’s no reason to [get ejected],” Harper said, per the Post. “At the end of the day, if I’m 0 for 4 or 4 for 4, it’s just part of the game. I’d rather be 0 for 4 or 4 for 4 and not get thrown out of the game where I’m only 0 for 2 and we lose the game in the eighth or the ninth. So gotta stay in the ballgame of course and help this team win on any given night."
This article has been updated to add context.
