Phillies’ Matt Strahm on ejection after nationwide anthem standoff went too far: ‘Not the wisest choice'

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Matt Strahm lastly walked again into his house dugout at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday after going by way of an extended standoff together with his former Boston Red Sox teammate Kutter Crawford following the nationwide anthem.

Little did he know he’d have to go to the clubhouse as a substitute as a result of umpires ejected each him and Crawford for his or her actions.

Standoffs on the sphere, court docket or ice have been occurring for fairly a while in sports activities when the nationwide anthem involves a conclusion. It’s merely for bragging rights, because the final man standing on their respective enjoying floor will get the “win.”

Pitcher Kutter Crawford of the Boston Red Sox through the Tigers sport at Comerica Park on April 9, 2023, in Detroit. (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

Well, with MLB instituting their new pitch clock guidelines to hurry up the sport of baseball, Strahm and Crawford took issues a bit too far when umpires warned them to depart the sphere, after which had no selection however to kick them out.

Speaking with Audacy’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, Strahm defined the entire scenario that resulted in not simply an ejection, however a effective from the league as nicely.

“Zero of it was deliberate,” he defined. “The anthem was over, I seemed throughout, and Kutter form of gave me a smile. And I knew precisely what that grin meant so I simply stood there. Zero plan on that. Just locked eyes after the anthem and each nonetheless had our hat over our coronary heart and neither of us have been shifting.

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“I’ve by no means achieved something like that in my life, but when you realize me, you realize competitors’s all the things to me so I form of felt like I used to be being known as out proper there. Looking again on it, most likely not the wisest choice I’ve made in my big-league profession, however yeah, shifting on.”

Despite the ejection, it appeared Strahm did win the bragging rights, although.

Matt Strahm of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in opposition to the Dodgers on May 2, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

“I didn’t even understand I used to be thrown out,” he mentioned. “The first base umpire came to visit to me and mentioned ‘You received to get going.’ And all I mentioned was ‘OK, nicely it’s our house subject so he ought to go first, proper?’ And then he mentioned ‘OK,’ and once I seemed over Kutter was leaving, and I walked down the steps and so they instructed me I used to be thrown out… (Rob Thomson) instructed me I received thrown out as soon as I received down there. Never seen a warning or something, however I assume ought to’ve identified higher with how strict they’re with the pitch clock. Lesson discovered. Embarrassing second, be taught from it, transfer on.”

Being that Crawford is on the 15-day injured listing in the mean time, his effective for being ejected is way increased than Strahm’s, however Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned he’ll be getting assist from a sure teammate.

“I do know there’s a man that went to the identical faculty as him that’s most likely going to maintain that,” he mentioned.

Chris Sale and Crawford each attended Florida Gulf Coast University, in order that’s the place the assistance may very well be coming.