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BOSTON — Red Sox right-hander Walker Buehler, activated earlier in the day from the 15-day injured list, was ejected from his Tuesday start against the New York Mets in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes.

After two balls to open up an at-bat by Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor stole second safely. Following Lindor’s slide, Buehler approached plate umpire Mike Estabrook, while yelling and pointing his finger. Buehler was quickly ejected, and moments later, Boston manager Alex Cora also was ejected.

It was the second consecutive game that the Red Sox played without Cora. On Monday, he missed the series opener to attend his daughter’s graduation at Boston College. Cora was replaced both nights by bench coach Ramon Vazquez.

Cora shouted in Estabrook’s face for a while, and first-base umpire Laz Diaz eventually stepped in to keep the two apart. Cora made contact with Diaz while continuing to verbally let loose on Estabrook. The manager then finally made his way to the clubhouse to cheers from Boston fans.

“It was weird; they were going back and forth,” Cora said of the exchange between Buehler and Estabrook. “I don’t know what the exchange was, but I’ve been at this for a few years, and I was just begging, ‘Just give me a break. I’ll go out and you can throw me out, and we can keep the pitcher in the game.’ But I guess he had enough. I don’t know why.”

Brennan Bernardino replaced Buehler and inherited the count on Soto. Bernardino proceeded to walk Soto on four pitches in a scoreless game. But the bullpen held up the rest of the way, and Vazquez steered the Red Sox to a 2-0 victory.

“Everybody saw what happened. That’s baseball; we just had to stick to the plan,” Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez said on the postgame show on NESN.

Buehler had not pitched for the Red Sox since April 26 because of right shoulder issues. He was scratched from his next start, and ensuing tests revealed he had bursitis in the shoulder.

Buehler, 30, pitched a three-inning simulated game Thursday and indicated he fared well and was ready to return.

Although this outing was short, Buehler has now started seven games during his first season with the Red Sox. He entered Tuesday’s game at 4-1 with a 4.28 ERA and 29 strikeouts against nine walks in 33⅔ innings.

“The pitch was in the strike zone,” Narvaez said of the ball call that ignited Buehler’s situation in the third. “He was fighting with the guy behind the plate. He was saying, ‘Hey, that was in the middle.’ And the guy was saying, ‘No.’ And it was back and forth. Buehler is an emotional guy, he’s a competitor. It was just the emotions of the game.”

Boston optioned right-hander Nick Burdi to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. The 32-year-old made two appearances and pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings for Boston.

A member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization until signing with Boston as a free agent in December, Buehler has undergone two Tommy John surgeries during his career, and the latter one in 2022 caused him to sit out the 2023 season and make his 2024 debut that May.

Buehler last made it through a full season without issue in 2021, when he registered a career-high 33 starts to lead the major leagues that season. He went 16-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 2021 and was selected to the All-Star Game for a second time. The Dodgers selected Buehler with the 24th pick of the 2015 MLB draft.

Information from Field Level Media and the Associated Press was used in this report.

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Utes’ Whittingham reenergized after ’24 free fall

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Utes' Whittingham reenergized after '24 free fall

FRISCO, Texas — A dynamic new quarterback, a new offensive system and two projected first-round picks up front have Utah coach Kyle Whittingham feeling enthusiastic about the Utes’ chances of bouncing back from a disastrous debut season in the Big 12.

Utah was voted No. 1 in the Big 12 preseason poll last year after joining from the Pac-12, but a brutal run of injuries and inconsistency resulted in a seven-game conference losing streak and a 5-7 finish — the program’s first losing season since 2013.

After weeks of contemplation about his future and what was best for the program, Whittingham, the third-longest-tenured head coach in FBS, decided in December to return for his 21st season with the Utes.

“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note,” Whittingham told ESPN at Big 12 media days Wednesday. “It was too frustrating, too disappointing. As much as college football has changed with all the other factors that might pull you away, that was the overriding reason: That’s not us, that’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”

“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note. It was too frustrating, too disappointing. … That’s not us. That’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on going 5-7 in 2024

Whittingham and Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley conducted a national search for a new offensive coordinator and quickly zeroed in on New Mexico‘s Jason Beck. Then they managed to land Devon Dampier, Beck’s first-team All-Mountain West quarterback, via the transfer portal.

After finishing 11th nationally in total offense with 3,934 yards and 31 total touchdowns and putting up the fourth-most rushing yards (1,166) among all FBS starters, Dampier followed his coach to Salt Lake City and immediately asserted himself as a difference-maker for a program that had to start four different QBs in 2024.

“He’s a terrific athlete,” Whittingham said. “He’s a guy that, if spring is any indication, he’s an exciting player, and we can’t wait to watch him this season. … He’s got that ‘it’ factor. He’s a leader. Needless to say, very excited to see what he does for us.”

They’ve surrounded Dampier with 21 more newcomers via the transfer portal and will protect him with two returning starters at tackle in Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, who are projected first-round NFL draft picks by ESPN’s Matt Miller.

“We feel they’re the best tandem in the country,” Whittingham said. “The offensive line in general, I feel, it’s the best since I’ve been there. And that’s quite a statement. We’ve had some really good offensive lines. We’ve got two first-rounders and three seniors inside that have played a lot of good football for us. That better be a strength of ours, and that’s what we’re counting on.”

Whittingham has previously said he did not want to coach past the age of 65. Now that he’s 65, he acknowledges that he might’ve arrived at a different decision about his future had the Utes ended up winning the Big 12 in 2024. He is reenergized about getting them back into contention, but he’s not ready to say whether this season might be his last.

“The best answer I can give you is, right now, I’m excited and passionate about going to work every single day,” Whittingham said. “As soon as that changes, I’ll know it’s time. I’m just counting on knowing when the time is right. I can’t tell you exactly what the circumstances will be other than losing the fire in the belly.”

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MLB to utilize ABS challenge system during ASG

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MLB to utilize ABS challenge system during ASG

The automated ball-strike system is coming to the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.

MLB officials added the feature to the annual exhibition game knowing it could be a precursor to becoming a permanent part of the major leagues as soon as next year.

The same process used this past spring training will be used for the Midsummer Classic: Each team will be given two challenges with the ability to retain them if successful. Only a pitcher, catcher or hitter can ask for a challenge and it has to happen almost immediately after the pitch. The player will tap his hat or helmet indicating to the umpire he wants to challenge while any help from the dugout or other players on the field is not allowed.

MLB officials say 72% of fans who were polled during spring training said the impact of ABS on their experience at the game was a “positive” one. Sixty-nine percent said they’d like it part of the game moving forward. Just 10% expressed negativity toward it.

MLB’s competition committee will meet later this summer to determine if ABS will be instituted next season after the league tested the robotic system throughout the minor leagues and spring training in recent years. Like almost any rule change, there were mixed reviews from players about using ABS but nearly all parties agree on one point: They prefer a challenge system as opposed to the technology calling every pitch.

As was the case in spring training, once a review is initiated, an animated replay of the pitch will be shown on the scoreboard and the home plate umpire will either uphold the call or overturn it. ABS uses Hawk-Eye system technology which tracks the pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone, providing an instant assessment which can be relayed to the home plate umpire.

The All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday.

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Royals sign former Cy Young winner Keuchel

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Royals sign former Cy Young winner Keuchel

The Kansas City Royals have signed former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel to a minor league contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The 37-year-old left-hander will start at Triple-A Omaha and will earn a prorated $2 million salary if he reaches the big leagues, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Keuchel has not pitched in the majors for nearly a full calendar year. He elected to become a free agent on July 18, 2024, after being designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers.

In four starts with the Brewers last season, Keuchel had a 5.40 ERA in 16 2/3 innings without a decision. In 13 major league seasons, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner with the Houston Astros is 103-92 with a 4.04 ERA in 282 appearances (267 starts).

After pitching his first seven seasons with the Astros, Keuchel has made appearances for six different teams since 2019. He won a World Series with Houston in 2017 and is a two-time All-Star selection and five-time Gold Glove winner.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.

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