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Contreras ejected after 421-foot homer, shouts “Venezuela.”

6/30/2026

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Summary

Contreras Ejected

Willson Contreras was ejected by umpire Nic Lentz during the 6-3 win over Washington.
Contreras hit a 421-foot, three-run homer off Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas in the first inning.
After the homer, Contreras flipped his bat, slapped his helmet, shouted “Venezuela,” and was ejected, citing recent Venezuelan earthquakes.
Interim manager Chad Tracy argued the call on the field but could not overturn the decision.

Summary

Lentz Ejects

Umpire Nic Lentz ejected batter Taylor Walls in June 2025 after Walls tapped his helmet.
Lentz said the helmet tap was disrespectful and justified the ejection despite no challenge rule.
Interim manager Chad Tracy learned the ejection reason only after the game.
Teammate Wilyer Abreu noted Venezuelan players’ hardship, the Red Sox’s earthquake-relief fundraiser, and that Boston still scored six runs in the first three innings.

History

Historical Context

In 2015 Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a league-wide memo after Yoenis Cespedes’s bat-flip celebrations sparked twelve ejections, prompting umpires like Tim McClelland to enforce Rule 6.02(b)(9) with fines such as the $5,000 penalty on Michael Conforto. Today, crew chief Nic Lentz’s ejections of Willson Contreras and Taylor Walls revive that crackdown, signaling MLB’s continued strict stance on helmet-tap and bat-flip protests.

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Contreras Ejected

Willson Contreras was ejected by umpire Nic Lentz during the 6-3 win over Washington.
Contreras hit a 421-foot, three-run homer off Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas in the first inning.
After the homer, Contreras flipped his bat, slapped his helmet, shouted “Venezuela,” and was ejected, citing recent Venezuelan earthquakes.
Interim manager Chad Tracy argued the call on the field but could not overturn the decision.

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