Padres punished for fiery umpire confrontation

The Padres are facing some punishment for their tirade after San Diego’s season-ending Game 3 loss to the Cubs during the National League wild-card series. 

Jose Iglesias, who went at the umpires as they exited the field following the loss, was suspended one game and fined for unprofessional conduct, according to the Associated Press. 

Xander Bogaerts, who struck out on a questionable call from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the ninth inning, was also fined an undisclosed amount for his conduct.  

The team got into it with the umpire crew as they walked off the field through the San Diego dugout following the final out of the 3-1 Chicago win at Wrigley Field.

The outburst happened moments after Reyburn called a third strike on Bogaerts for the first out of the final inning on a pitch that appeared to be below the strike zone with the Padres’ season on the line. 

Bogaerts initially argued with Reyburn before Padres manager Mike Shildt came out to speak his peace as well, but the clash continued until after the game. 

The Padres would put two runners on with one out, but the Cubs would escape the jam to secure a berth in the National League Division Series.

Bogaerts said after the game that he was looking forward to MLB’s big rule change that will allow batters, pitchers or catchers to challenge a pitch. 

“Talk about it now: What do you want me to do?” Bogaerts said. “It’s a ball. Messed up the whole game, you know? I mean, can’t go back in time, and talking about it now won’t change anything. So it was bad, and thank God for ABS next year because this is terrible.”