Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Davis Martin was ejected from Thursday’s matinee against the Cincinnati Reds after back-to-back wild pitches led to a benches-clearing altercation.
Reds Rookie of the Year frontrunner Sal Stewart, who homered in his first at-bat off Martin, was facing a 0-1 count when a pitch sailed over everyone’s head and hit the backstop.
Stewart looked at Martin immediately, but the Sox starter tapped his chest, indicating he didn’t mean for the wild pitch.
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However, Stewart took exception, and understandably so, when a 92-mph fastball came up and in on the very next pitch from Martin. If Stewart hadn’t moved quickly, the ball may have hit him right in the face. Instead, it just clipped the brim of his helmet for a hit-by-pitch.
From there, Stewart pointed the knob end of his bat at Martin, and it was clear he, at the very least, said "that’s twice." Martin was still claiming he didn’t mean to do it, but Stewart’s Reds teammates didn’t care to hear his side.
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MLB veteran Eugenio Suarez was among those shown on the broadcast running out to say his piece to Martin. The White Sox dugout, though, was quick to move as well.
White Sox catcher Edgar Quero was pivotal in the situation not getting out of control, as he popped up from his place behind home plate and stopped Stewart from walking toward his pitcher. Quero even walked down the first base line with Stewart as the situation unfolded.
After the tension dissipated, umpires reviewed the situation to see if Martin should be tossed from the game. Considering that both pitches were near Stewart’s head, umpires eventually made the decision to toss the White Sox starter before he could complete three innings.
Stewart got the party started for the Reds at the beginning of the game, launching a home run on a hanging breaking ball by Martin into the left field seats. Some argued on social media that was the reason Martin may have been throwing those pitches intentionally, but it didn’t seem Stewart did anything extra after hitting the solo blast.
Martin also allowed a two-run homer to Suarez later in that first frame, as the Reds quickly put up three runs on the White Sox. But at the time of Martin’s ejection, Chicago had scored four runs of their own to take the lead as the top of the third got underway.
Chicago, though, was forced to bring in Erick Fedde on emergency notice and Cincinnati made him pay. The Reds scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take an 8-4 lead. They would go on to win the game, 9-8, holding off the White Sox, who scored three runs in the eighth and ninth innings combined.
Stewart is having himself quite the 2026 campaign, as the first-time All-Star is now hitting .259 with an .811 OPS and 26 home runs after his 2-for-3 day at the dish.
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