Manny Machado got tossed after striking out on a borderline call he didn’t agree with. The pitch was low and away, and Machado clearly didn’t like it. He slammed his bat, said a few choice words to the umpire, and was immediately ejected. His manager, Derek Shelton, came out not to argue in full force but to make a show of defending his player. He calmly approached the umpire, took off his glasses, and explained that he had to get thrown out to show support for his guy. They both knew the deal and treated it like a formality. Shelton even said the umpires were doing a good job but insisted on getting run for appearances. The umpire nodded and gave him the hook, with both sides understanding it was just part of the game. It looked dramatic but ended on a light note. The whole scene showed the kind of unwritten decorum that sometimes plays out when emotions and performance expectations clash.
