Baseball Managers Still Find Ways to Get Kicked Out Despite Robot Umpires

Major League Baseball's new automated ball-strike system may reduce arguments over strike zones, but managers like Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash say they'll still find reasons to get ejected. The technology gives teams only two challenges per game, leaving plenty of room for heated disputes.

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash doesn’t believe automated umpires will end the tradition of managers getting thrown out of baseball games.

“You only get two challenges, right? That can come up in the first inning,” Cash explained.

Baseball fans have always enjoyed watching managers lose their temper with umpires, from memorable moments like Billy Martin of the Yankees kicking dirt at Dale Scott in 1988, to Lou Piniella of Cincinnati hurling first base toward right field in frustration with Dutch Rennert in 1990, and Earl Weaver of Baltimore getting into a heated face-off with Bill Haller in 1980.

Over the last twenty years, Major League Baseball has reduced opportunities for manager complaints. Video replay started with home run decisions in August 2008 and expanded significantly to cover many calls beginning in 2014. This season introduces the Automated Ball-Strike System, allowing teams to challenge human umpires’ strike zone decisions through what’s commonly called robot umpires.

Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland, who earned Manager of the Year honors three times and was ejected 73 times across 22 seasons, noted the trend. “Manager ejections have been down for a while now because of the replay system,” Leyland said. “I really like the ABS. I think it’s going to be great for the game.”

Statistics from MLB show that 61.5% of all ejections involving players, managers and coaches last year (99 out of 161) stemmed from ball and strike disputes, a slight increase from 60.3% (114 out of 189) in 2024. These numbers include inappropriate remarks and behavior, plus equipment throwing incidents.

“I’m in favor of anything that allows our technology to play in this game,” Cash stated. “We have so much of it. Why not use it?”

Teams receive two challenges each game, keeping their challenge when successful. Clubs that exhaust their challenges get an extra one during each additional inning.

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton believes the system will initially reduce strike zone arguments. “You’re going to take out the argument of balls and strikes initially,” Shelton said. “I think the challenge is going to be after the challenges go away, how managers are and what they do? But I do think that there is going to be probably less general complaining about balls and strikes in the early going.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has topped or tied for most ejections four consecutive seasons, with his nine ejections in 2022 marking the highest total since Bobby Cox of Atlanta was tossed 10 times in 2007.

Cox holds the all-time record with 162 ejections, followed by John McGraw with 121, Leo Durocher at 100, Weaver with 96, Tony La Russa at 93, and Bruce Bochy with 89.

Terry Francona of Cincinnati leads current managers with 54 ejections over 25 major league seasons. Boone ranks second among active managers with 46 ejections entering his ninth season.

Rather than worrying about fewer arguments, Boone focuses on helping players stay mentally prepared when challenges don’t go their way. He wonders how pitchers will handle situations where they celebrate what appears to be a game-ending strikeout with bases loaded, only to have the automated system overturn the call and require another pitch.

“It’s a whole new thing that pitchers have never dealt with. That’s an emotional thing you’ve got to deal with,” Boone explained. “That’s something we’ve already addressed, same with the hitters to a lesser degree: that reset. How do you clear the mechanism?”

Former manager Bobby Valentine, who led three major league teams over 16 seasons, will receive recognition from the New York Mets this May with a promotional giveaway celebrating one of his 44 career ejections. Following his removal by umpire Randy Marsh on June 9, 1999, Valentine famously snuck back into the dugout wearing sunglasses and a mustache made from eye black.

Valentine believes today’s players have moved beyond responding to managers’ theatrical disputes with umpires. “I found that by the end of my career that that was only entertainment,” he said. “It didn’t fire anyone up except for my wife, who was worried about the fine that I was going to get.”