Following his emotional outburst on the mound and being designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals, reliever Shawn Kelley said the umpires are to blame for his outburst.
The 34-year-old, who was blasted for his outburst by Nationals’ manager Mike Rizzo, explained that it was mixed messages from the umpires that set him off.
According to ESPN, Kelley’s agent said home plate umpire Adrian Johnson told him to pick up the pace and work more quickly. At the same time, second base umpire Tripp Gibson asked Kelley to slow down or risk being called for a balk.
A few moments later, Kelley gave up a home run to New York Mets outfielder Austin Jackson and then slammed his glove on the ground then stared at Washington’s dugout.
The mixed signals from the umpire could explain his frustration on the mound, but Washington also had a 25-4 lead even after the home run. Kelley will likely find a bullpen gig with a team in the near future, but his outburst is going to hurt his reputation.