Bizarre ejection from Astros-Rays matchup reveals pitfall of ABS challenge system

The Houston Astros' 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday was a classic pitcher's duel with Hunter Brown and Co. narrowly besting Taj Bradley. Things took a bizarre turn, however, when Rays' shortstop Taylor Walls was ejected during the ninth inning for — checks notes — tapping his helmet? Unfortunately, the impending arrival of the automated balls-strikes (ABS) challenge system could be the root cause of what was a rather heated situation.

Walls took issue with a Josh Hader pitch that was admittedly low and away. Home plate umpire Nic Lentz called it a strike, but it was a ball. Walls expressed skepticism with the call in a respectful way and tapped his helmet while getting right back in the batters' box. However, Lentz took the tap of the helmet to mean Walls was showing him up and threw him out of the game.

Taylor Walls' ejection in Astros-Rays highlights potential problem with ABS challenge system

Walls had every right to be pissed in this situation. The call wasn't a good one, but Walls also didn't do anything that warranted an ejection. Even if Walls meant the helmet tapping gesture as Lentz perceived it, throwing a guy out because of that is the definition of soft, and a pretty clear overreaction to a hitter being understandably frustrated during a key moment in the game — don't forget this was during the ninth inning of a one-run game.

More than that, though, this incident highlights a potential problem if/ when MLB putting the ABS challenge system in play. Umpires already perceive themselves to be under attack from the league with the changes to the buffer zone used to grade umpire performance. The ability for hitters or pitchers to challenge balls and strikes will have umpires (perhaps understandably) feeling like they are getting phased out of the game altogether.

This is not an argument for the league to hold off implementing the ABS challenge system. Balls and strikes shouldn't change from umpire to umpire and everyone and should be called fairly and equally. However, that doesn't mean that umpires have to like Lentz did on Sunday.

In fact, Walls' ejection could be proof that some umpires could hold a grudge against players that challenge their calls and that's a problem that needs to be fixed before ABS is implemented.

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