Justin Verlander took the mound for the Astros against the Rays in a game that was lopsided from the start. Houston led 9-0, and Verlander looked sharp through five innings, spotting his fastball and mixing in off-speed pitches with precision. But a missed strike call in the sixth changed the mood fast. Verlander thought he caught the edge with a heater, but the umpire disagreed. Replays were inconclusive, but Verlander clearly wanted that call.
The next pitch, a full count, turned into a double. Verlander had something to say, and whatever it was got him tossed immediately. He protested that he wasn’t even looking at the umpire. Cameras showed some side-eye from Verlander, but nothing major. Still, he was gone. With the Astros already up big, Verlander’s early exit didn’t hurt the team, but he didn’t hide his frustration walking off. Even with a comfortable lead, he wanted that clean inning. Instead, he was left stewing over what he saw as a quick trigger.