Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve ejected from game after removing shoe, sock to protest call
SAN DIEGO — Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was ejected from Tuesday’s 10-winning win over the San Diego Padres after going to unusual lengths to argue an on-field call.
Altuve, batting against Padres closer Robert Suarez in the ninth inning of a tied game with the potential go-ahead run on second, hit a ground ball to third baseman Manny Machado that ended the inning. Altuve reacted as though he had fouled the ball off his foot and argued that was the case. Umpires ruled it a fair ball.
Astros manager Joe Espada emerged to argue along with Altuve. Bench coach Omar López also joined the discussion. Amid it, Altuve removed his left shoe and sock and showed his bare foot to home plate umpire Brennan Miller. Miller promptly ejected him.
“It was going through my head that it can’t happen,” Altuve said after the game. “It’s the ninth inning, winning run on second base, I’m battling against a good pitcher, Suarez, the closer. So I’m obviously trying to get a hit and drive the run in and win the game.
“So I get a foul ball, because it hit my foot, and they just took it away from me. So I don’t think that can happen. There are four (umpires) on the field. You’ve got to see the change of direction on the ball and just make the right call.”
Espada was also ejected during the sequence at Petco Park. It was the second ejection for Altuve this season and the fifth for Espada.
Altuve’s first ejection of the season occurred on a similar play June 30 against the Mets in New York. Foul balls in that area of the field are not reviewable, so the Astros could not challenge or request a review of either play.
