Kevin Gausman started game one of a doubleheader in the Bronx strong, cruising through the first two innings with a 1-0 lead. But things unraveled fast in the third. He lost a couple of close calls low in the zone, visibly frustrated with the umpire. A walk, then a double by Aaron Judge put him in a jam. More walks followed, and the Yankees took the lead on a series of long at-bats and groundouts, pushing Gausman’s pitch count over 50 in the inning. With the bases still loaded, Austin Wells nearly hit a grand slam but settled for a bases-clearing double off the wall, putting the Yankees up big.
Gausman was furious. He barked at the ump on his way off the mound and got tossed after calling the strike zone “dog [expletive].” He kept yelling from the dugout, then fell down the steps for a surreal ending to his outing. Things didn’t cool off. Blue Jays manager John Schneider got ejected shortly after when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. questioned another low strike. Schneider unloaded on the ump, blaming him for blowing the game and cursing him out on the way off the field.
The Blue Jays were clearly frustrated with how the zone shifted when Yankees pitcher Max Fried got a low strike call right away in the next inning. Vlatty didn’t hide his anger, accusing the ump of retaliation. He struck out on a borderline pitch, and even the acting manager wasn’t sure he wanted top step duties anymore. The game spiraled on both sides, with emotions running high and control of the strike zone at the center of it all.