Why was Rob Thomson ejected vs Dodgers? Phillies manager involved in bizarre removal

Rob Thomson became the full-time manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in October 2022. However, he was bizarrely ejected during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

It took place during the sixth inning of the game. Aaron Nola requested a new baseball as he felt that the ball was slick. Umpire Roberto Ortiz handed him one but did not reset the pitch clock. According to MLB rules, pitchers have 15 seconds to pitch if there is nobody on and 20 seconds if a baserunner is present. Nola had only 10 seconds left to pitch as the clock had not been reset. This was not liked by Rob Thomson.

Thomson emerged from the dugout and had a heated conversation with both umpire David Ortiz and third base umpire Bill Miller. For this, he was ejected.

Regarding the situation, umpire Bill Miller commented:

"As the game went on, he started to throw more and more balls out where we felt he was trying to reset the clock, which is an attempt to circumvent the pitch-clock regulations. It’s up to the umpire’s judgment if any player, at any time, is attempting to circumvent the pitch clock regulations." (via Nypost.com)

Incidentally, Aaron Nola had requested new balls several times this season, but so far, umpires had never objected to his demands. For this reason, Rob Thomson later commented that nobody had said anything regarding the subject until Saturday. He also stated that some of MLB's rules regarding pitch clock violations are a little vague to understand.

The Phillies ultimately lost to the Dodgers 6-3 in the game.

Other ejection faced by Rob Thomson

Enter caption Enter caption Rob Thomson in Philadelphia Phillies v Atlanta Braves game

Rob Thomson, as a manager, was ejected for the first time on May 14, 2023, during the game against the Colorado Rockies.

During the game, Kyle Schwarber argued with home plate umpire Ryan Willis regarding a strike that he had called. To protect Schwarber, Rob Thomson had to get involved. He disputed the umpire's call and consequently, was ejected.

Regarding the issue, he later commented:

"Well, the pitch was up, and it changes the inning. If he walks there, it’s possible something gets going. I thought [home plate umpire] Ryan Wills was pretty good all day, up until that point, really. There wasn’t much from either side, chirping. But that changes the inning. That’s what I said to him. And protecting Schwarber — I didn’t want Schwarber thrown out." (via Inquirer.com)

The Philadelphia Phillies ultimately lost the game 4-0 to the Colorado Rockies.