Mets Manager EJECTED Defending Soto! Was it a BAD Call?

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected from Monday night's game against the San Diego Padres after fiercely defending outfielder Juan Soto. The ejection occurred in the top of the third inning following a controversial strike three call against Soto.

Mendoza Stands Up for Soto

The incident unfolded when Padres pitcher Dylan Cease appeared to nick the corner of the plate with a knuckle curve, leading to the called strike. Soto vehemently disagreed with the call, prompting Mendoza to rush out of the dugout to argue with home-plate umpire Emil Jimenez. Mendoza's passionate defense of his player resulted in his third ejection of the season.

"I knew from the very beginning after a couple of calls early in the game that I needed to be on top of it," Mendoza said after the game. "Whether it's Soto or anybody on our roster, I gotta go out there and protect them."

Even after Mendoza's ejection, the questionable calls continued. In the seventh inning, Soto struck out looking again on another pitch that appeared to be outside the strike zone. This time, bench coach John Gibbons, serving as the acting manager, had to come to Soto's defense.

Controversial Umpiring

Many observers felt that umpire Emil Jimenez had a difficult night behind the plate. Mendoza didn't mince words after the Mets' 7-6 loss to the Padres, stating, "He had a rough night. There's no way to sugarcoat it there, especially when..." (the article cuts off here).

Adding insult to injury, another egregious strike call against Soto in the seventh inning further fueled the controversy. Facing an 0-2 count, Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon threw a slider that appeared to be well outside the strike zone. However, Jimenez called it a strike, leaving Soto in disbelief.

Despite the questionable calls, Soto maintained his composure, a commendable act considering the circumstances. While Soto extended his run-scored streak to three games, he went 0-for-4 at the plate. The Padres' walk-off win ended the Mets' seven-game winning streak.