WATCH: Luke Weaver, Robbie Ray Both Ejected in National Anthem Standoff
Upon the conclusion of the National Anthem prior to Sunday's game between the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals, former teammates Luke Weaver and Robbie Ray had a lighthearted National Anthem standoff that lasted so long, they were both ejected by the game's umpires.
Weaver and Ray were teammates in Arizona for a season and a half from 2019 to midway through the 2020 season.
Sunday, upon the conclusion of the National Anthem, both pitchers wouldn't move, participating in an unplanned standoff.
Teammates of Ray's and Weaver's would run out and supply help to their pitcher. Ray would have water poured into his mouth, and sunscreen sprayed on his skin, while Weaver would have sunflower seeds poured into his mouth. Teammates would also help, providing sweat towels.
After several minutes and multiple warnings, neither pitcher would budge, threatening to delay the start of the game, as the Royals took the field. The umpires issued multiple warnings before ejecting both from Sunday's contest, before first pitch.
“It wasn’t anything planned,” Weaver said. “(I) looked across the line, (we) both saw each other stay for an extra second, and then yeah, we’ve seen this thing done before. We’re trying to have fun. It’s the last home game, the fans are coming out loud and proud. The teammates are rallying behind me. It was just trying to have a little bit of fun.”
As the umpires threatened to eject both pitchers, Weaver broke character first, hoping that he had beat the umpires' ejection. He hadn't.
“As soon as I felt like it got a little serious, I stepped away, and I thought I beat the timing on it,” Weaver said. “And it just so happens that they got pretty quick on the trigger. That was the surprising part."
Ray defeated Weaver in their first standoff. Perhaps there will be a sequel next season.
