Phillies' Luzardo Ejected During Critical Mets NL East Game

In a tense NL East showdown between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, Phillies left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo was ejected in the fifth inning after expressing frustration with home plate umpire Willie Traynor over questionable strike calls. Luzardo, who had been pitching effectively until loading the bases and issuing a controversial walk to Starling Marte, was pulled by manager Rob Thomson and shouted expletives at Traynor while walking off the mound, leading to his rare ejection despite already being out of the game. The Mets capitalized on Luzardo's exit, scoring five runs in the fifth inning and ultimately winning the game 6-5 with a walk-off hit in the ninth. Luzardo maintained he is generally calm on the field but felt compelled to stand up for what he perceived as unfair treatment. Despite the loss, the Phillies still hold a significant lead in the division, though the Mets' recent strong performances have intensified the rivalry. The incident underscores the high stakes and volatility in this critical divisional series.