Lance Lynn was ejected for the first time in his career during Wednesday night’s 3-2 White Sox victory over the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field.
It was a frustrating night for the big right-hander. He did not have his best stuff, he had to work around constant jams, and his pitch count was were piling up.
After allowing a solo home run in the fourth inning his frustration boiled over. Lynn was asked to do a substance check as he walked to the dugout. While he was on the top step he left his glove and hat on the railing so the umpire could inspect it, then continued down the dugout steps.
Third base umpire Nick Lentz could be seen holding Lynn’s glove when a belt came flying onto the field. Lentz then ejected Lynn, who came flying up the steps to argue. He was visibly upset as he walked to the clubhouse and was barking at Lentz the entire time.
Lance Lynn was ejected after apparently throwing his belt at an ump during a foreign substance check in tonight's game against the A's.
(via @NBCSAthletics) pic.twitter.com/PlGDimlGbz
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 19, 2021
After the game, Lynn explained what happened.
“He threw me out because I tossed my belt. I said well if you were there on time we wouldn’t have this problem.”
Umpires usually try and stop the pitchers for a check after they cross the baseline. Lentz came over for his check very late. Adding to the frustration was that he had already been checked once.
Lance Lynn was trying to get to the trainer’s room to get looked at because he was dealing with some stuff physically. He was already in the dugout when the umpire asked for his belt. With a quick turnaround between innings, he was anxious to get to the trainer’s room and this was taking up precious time.
“I’m trying to get some work done to go back out for the fifth and obviously I hurt his feelings,” Lynn said.
He later added assurance that the injury is nothing serious saying “I’ll see you in five days.”
Lance Lynn on why he was thrown out of the game:
"He yells at me that he needs to see my belt, so I toss it up and he throws me out… Obviously, I hurt his feelings." pic.twitter.com/rue6MKpa8M
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 19, 2021
Despite not having his best stuff it was unfortunate Lynn was robbed of a chance to earn a win. Through four innings Lynn had allowed just one run. However to get to that point the American League Cy-Young candidate had to work through some stressful situations. In the first inning, he issued a leadoff walk then a wild pitch. With a runner at second base, he allowed a base hit to Starling Marte and then a stolen base which put runners on second and third with nobody out.
Lynn then buckled down and got Matt Olson and Jed Lowrie to strike out swinging. He then escaped the jam by inducing a Josh Harrison ground out.
In the top of the third, he had to perform another tightrope act. With nobody out, he loaded the bases with a double, a Tim Anderson fielding error, and a walk. Lynn wiggled out of this jam with surgical precision. He got Jed Lowrie to chase at a two-seam fastball after a long battle. Then he got Josh Harrison to flail at a cutter for back-to-back Ks. The threat was finally ended when he got Matt Chapman to pop out to Tim Anderson.
After all of this, he wound up giving up a solo home run to Seth Brown the next inning. His pitch count was high and he realized after 88 pitches he probably wasn’t going very deep into the game.
It was understandable why his patience for substance checks was wearing thin.
