Pitching in his first MLB start since with Boston Red Sox coming off the injured list due to shoulder bursitis, Walker Buehler showed flashes of promise through 2 1/3 innings before emotions got the better of him. During Tuesday night’s 2-0 victory over the New York Mets at Fenway Park, Buehler was ejected after arguing a third-inning call with home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.
After disputing what he believed was a clear strike, Buehler walked off the mound and approached Estabrook, resulting in an immediate ejection. Moments later, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was also tossed from the game while defending his starter. Up to that point, Buehler had not allowed a hit, struck out four batters, and issued two walks.
Buehler addressed the media postgame and didn’t shy away from acknowledging his error in judgment. “I’ve been in this league too long for that to happen,” the right-hander admitted, according to masslive.com. “You feel very convicted in what you saw, but this is a team game, and I let it get out of hand. That’s the disappointing part.”
He continued with further reflection on how the situation unfolded. “I’m not gonna talk about what he did or didn’t do. I don’t think it’s my place… It spiraled a little bit. He said some things he thought I shouldn’t have said. At the end of the day, putting our team in that position is the only thing I really regret.”
Although Buehler’s night ended earlier than expected, his return still gave the Red Sox a brief glimpse of his potential moving forward. Boston will be hoping that this brief outing serves as a stepping stone in his path back to being a reliable piece of their rotation.
Red Sox bullpen delivers again, powered by Devers and Narvaez
With Buehler out of the game, the Red Sox bullpen was once again called upon to carry a heavy load—and they delivered. Despite having thrown extensively in Monday’s 3-1 win, six relievers combined to silence the Mets’ offense, allowing only four hits while striking out eight.
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On offense, Boston made the most of a few timely swings. In the fifth inning, Carlos Narvaez and Rafael Devers each went deep with solo home runs that accounted for all of the scoring in the game. It was enough to preserve the shutout and hand the Red Sox another key win at home.
