Nationals' Stephen Strasburg Ejected For Arguing While Sitting in Stands

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Nationals star Stephen Strasburg was ejected from Thursday's game against the Mets after arguing balls and strikes. 

He wasn't pitching, however. Instead, he happened to be sitting in section 121.

In the bottom of the third inning, Strasburg, frustrated after a pair of pitch calls by umpire Carlos Torres, decided to make his opinion known by yelling at the umpire from the lower-level stands at Citi Field. 

Torres ejected the pitcher, who while wearing a protective face mask, tipped his cap towards the umpire as he started exiting the stands after the ejection. 

The game was tied 1-1 at the time of the ejection, but the Mets would go on to lead 7-1 after five innings.

Strasburg was sitting in the stands in an effort to promote social distancing during this pandemic-shortened MLB season.

But he learned Thursday that just because he was sitting where fans normally sit, doesn't mean he can complain about pitch calls the way fans normally would.