The Boston Red Sox lost both their manager and their first baseman prematurely Friday.
John Farrell and Mike Napoli were ejected in the eighth inning of the Red Sox’s 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park for arguing balls and strikes. Farrell and Napoli both shouted from the dugout after Napoli struck out looking against Rangers reliever Ross Ohlendorf, prompting home plate umpire Todd Tichenor to give the tandem the hook.
The situation had been brewing for a while, as Dustin Pedroia also argued with Tichenor after striking out looking in the seventh inning. Farrell emerged from the dugout to restrain Pedroia, but the Red Sox’s visible frustration clearly didn’t sit well with the ump, who wasted little with his eighth-inning ejections.
The Red Sox’s loss dropped them to five games under .500 at 22-27. Boston appears to be reaching its boiling point, and a few calls going the other way has the ability to set off the skipper and his players.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
