Rays Player Was Absolutely Furious With Ump After Being Ejected for Strange Reason

Ryan Phillips | Jun 1, 2025

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Taylor Walls argues after being ejected during a game against the Houston Astros. / Via Space City Home Networ

Taylor Walls absolutely lost it on Sunday.

The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop was ejected in the ninth inning of his team's 1-0 loss to the Houston Astros after a back-and-forth with home plate umpire Nic Lentz.

Walls stepped to the plate to face Astros closer Josh Hader with one out in the top of the ninth and the first pitch he saw was an 84 mph slider that wound up low and away.

Lentz called it a strike. Walls couldn't believe it, and stepped out of the batters box and said something to the 35-year-old umpire. He wasn't satisfied with the response, so he then tapped his helmet, giving a mock request to challenge the call in the ABS system MLB has yet to implement. Lentz ejected him for it.

Walls went nuts after learning he was ejected and had to be held back by several coaches, before escaping and running back to get into Lentz's face.

Video is below.

Taylor Walls was ejected from the game after tapping his helmet.

(via @SpaceCityHN) pic.twitter.com/zVuZP3bHFw

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 1, 2025

That was a terrible call by Lentz, but Walls couldn't have been surprised by the ejection. Tapping his helmet was a clear joking request for a challenge, which could easily be seen as showing up the umpire.

Christopher Morel replaced Walls to finish the at bat and struck out. Hader then struck out Junior Caminero to end the game.

---

More MLB on Sports Illustrated

feed