KANSAS CITY, Mo.—During Monday night’s matchup with Kansas City, a dramatic moment unfolded as Minnesota Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected from the game following a pitch clock controversy involving pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson. The sixth inning was nearing its end with two outs when Woods Richardson stepped off the mound, signaling that he could not hear his PitchCom equipment by tapping his ear.
In response, umpire Nic Lentz called a pitch clock violation on Woods Richardson, which inadvertently granted Jonathan India a walk. Post-game, Baldelli explained that without acknowledgment from Lentz after the ear tap gesture, Woods Richardson had no choice but to attempt pitching before the clock deadline.
Baldelli remarked, “He was back on the mound, trying to make a pitch with only two seconds remaining, and yet a violation was called, even though the clock was still running.” Upset by this turn of events, Baldelli emerged from the dugout to confront Lentz, only to be ejected shortly after. The argument continued until crew chief Vic Carapazza intervened.
In his comments, Baldelli criticized the handling of the situation, suggesting the umpire had numerous options to resolve it adequately. “The umpire could have rectified the issue in various ways but instead instructed him to proceed with pitching, resulting in an unwarranted violation,” he elaborated. The incident compounded a rough evening for the Twins, who succumbed to a 4-2 defeat, marking their erratic start to the season with a 3-7 record.