Blue Jays' John Gibbons unhappy with Jose Bautista for ejection
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons criticized outfielder Jose Bautista for getting ejected during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Bautista was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes with umpire Bill Welke. The Blue Jays went on to lose 2-1 in 10 innings.
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Gibbons said Bautista's actions hurt the team, according to the Toronto Star's Richard Griffin.
“The bottom line is we needed him in the game,” Gibbons said of Bautista. “Say your piece and get the hell out of there. We’re trying to get in the playoffs, we need you on the field. He’s a marked man in this game. [Plate ump] Bill Welke? I thought he had a pretty good [strike] zone today. It was steady, he was calling strikes. He was looking to call strikes. But we need you in the game.”
Bautista, 33, is hitting .284 with 24 home runs and 77 RBI for Toronto this season.
The Blue Jays are 66-64 and in third place in the American League East, eight games behind the Baltimore Orioles. They are 5.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final Wild Card spot.
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