Dan Bellino, the umpire who ejected Arizona Diamondbacks starter Madison Bumgarner in his last start, has been disciplined and issued an apology on Friday, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
Rogers adds that because Bellino is scheduled to umpire games this weekend, he assumes the disciplinary action is only a fine.
“I would like to address my actions on May 4th involving Madison Bumgarner,” Bellino said, per Rogers. “When I began my MLB career almost 15 years ago, I received some good advice. I was told to umpire every game as if my children were sitting in the front row.
“I fell short of those expectations this week. While I can’t go back and change what happened, I take full accountability. I will learn from this incident, and I sincerely apologize.”
Rogers also reports that Bumgarner will not face disciplinary action.
Bellino’s ejection of Bumgarner on Wednesday in Miami came after the D-backs lefty completed what ended up being his only inning pitched on the day.
The umpire was checking the pitcher’s throwing hand for foreign substances for a prolonged period of time without ever looking down, which prompted Bumgarner to make a comment that ultimately got him tossed.
The difference between MadBum’s and Hernandez’s hand checks is striking. pic.twitter.com/CRPOuRXBUE
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 4, 2022
Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall on Thursday told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta it was the “most bizarre ejection I’ve ever seen in all my years in baseball.”
“I have to be careful what I say … but I thought it was ridiculous,” he said. “He was baiting him. It seemed pre-meditated, he wanted to eject him from the moment that meeting took place at the line.
“It just was not fair to Bum and wasn’t fair to us as well as we were playing. … You don’t make that ejection, period, but you especially don’t do that to a veteran guy who has the credentials of Madison Bumgarner.”