D-backs’ Derrick Hall: Madison Bumgarner did not deserve ‘bizarre ejection’

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ first sweep and three-game winning streak of the season was greatly overshadowed by starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner’s odd ejection after just an inning of work.

Coming off the mound at the end of the first inning in Wednesday’s 8-7 win over the Miami Marlins, Bumgarner was given a routine hand check for foreign substances by fist-base umpire Dan Bellino in a not-so-routine way.

The ump stared directly at the starting pitcher while he extensively felt his hand before sharing words with Bumgarner and ejecting him.

D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall was among the vast majority that took notice of the awkward exchange between the two, immediately firing off an email to the league office letting it be known that he feels Bellino should be reprimanded for the ejection.

“It was one of the worst ejections, most bizarre ejection I’ve ever seen in all my years in baseball,” Hall told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Thursday. “I have to be careful what I say … but I thought it was ridiculous. He was baiting him. It seem pre-meditated, he wanted to eject him from the moment that meeting took place at the line.

“It just was not fair to Bum and wasn’t fair to us as well as we were playing. … You don’t make that ejection, period, but you especially don’t do that to a veteran guy who has the credentials of Madison Bumgarner.”

Along with the league, Hall is also looking for answers from the umpires in a written response.

Outside of losing their starting pitcher after just one inning pitched to a weird series of events, was the fact that Arizona had to dip into its bullpen on short notice, throwing off pitching schedules.

“It was not about the substance, it was just he was going after him. It was so obvious,” Hall added. “I was very upset with it. I know Madison handled himself perfectly after the game, I’m not surprised. But he did not deserve that at all.”

The difference between MadBum's and Hernandez's hand checks is striking. pic.twitter.com/CRPOuRXBUE

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 4, 2022

Sitting at 13-13, the D-backs have an off day Thursday before kicking off a three-game home series against the Colorado Rockies.

First pitch for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Catch all the action on ESPN 620 AM and 98.7 FM HD-2.

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