Alex Cora Sounds Off On 'Weird' Walker Buehler Ejection In Red Sox Win

The Boston Red Sox overcame a powerful opponent to grab a 2-0 win on Tuesday night--and it wasn't the New York Mets.

Clearly, the Mets didn't bring their A-game to Fenway Park. But they got some early help from home plate umpire Mark Estabrook, who ejected Red Sox starting pitcher Walker Buehler with one out in the top of the third inning.

Buehler was peeved by Estabrook missing a clear strike on Juan Soto because catcher Carlos Narváez jumped out of his crouch to try and throw out a baserunner. But replays showed that as soon as Buehler said, "That was right down the middle," Estabrook yanked off his mask and aggressively told Buehler to "get back on the mound."

Buehler, for the record, was already standing on the mound at the time.

Manager Alex Cora, who was also ejected once Estabrook tossed Buehler, was also surprised by the quick hook, especially after it left the Red Sox in a bad spot with 6 2/3 innings left to pitch from a tired bullpen.

“I was inside and they showed a replay in the fourth inning because they had that camera,” said Cora, per NESN. “I don’t want to make excuses, but it looked like it was very aggressive. But he’s the umpire, we have to respect that and he threw him out."

“It was weird. They were going back-and-forth. I don’t know what the exchange was. I’ve been doing this for a few years. I was just begging, ‘Give me a break. I’ll go out and you can throw me out. We can keep the pitcher in the game.’ I guess he had enough. I don’t know why. At that point, I’ve got to go, too.”

Crew chief Laz Diaz explained why Buehler was ejected to a pool reporter after the game, but that won't placate many Red Sox fans who saw it happen, either.

“He can say stuff from the mound,” Diaz said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “But once he comes off the mound, he’s leaving his position to argue balls and strikes. Once anybody leaves their position to argue balls and strikes, that’s an immediate ejection."

Buehler had a response to Diaz on X (formerly Twitter) afterwards.

"Who cut the distance?" Buehler asked, referring to Estabrook coming out from behind the plate with his mask off before Buehler moved from the dirt.

Thankfully, the bullpen was nails and kept the Mets off the board for 6 2/3 innings. But Estabrook could have put the Red Sox in a terrible spot, and the road ahead is still tough with eight straight games without an off day.

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