The Texas Rangers are now behind the Houston Astros in the frustrating AL West and are slowly falling apart after gaining some traction at the end of June. With the Astros now taking control, it's taken Rangers manager Skip Schumaker to light a fire under his team.
While the Rangers and Astros were tied 3-3 on Sunday afternoon, Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu pitched a ball below the strike zone to the Rangers' Nicky Lopez with a 3-2 count. The home plate umpire, Todd Tichenor, called strike three, and Lopez couldn't believe it. Schumaker went on the field to argue, but then decided to wait until "God Bless America" was done playing.
What happened after the song ended was the most bizarre sequence between an umpire and a manager.
Rangers' Skip Schumaker's ejection goes viral on social media
Skip Schumaker made sure to wait until after God Bless America was over to get ejected pic.twitter.com/nsmv4lNF56
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 3, 2026
If there's anything about MLB players, fans, coaches and even umpires, they care about their country, and that's the message most people on social media are taking here. It's also one of the most bizarre ejections we've seen on a baseball field, but nonetheless, it happened.
Even Rangers fans would credit both Schumaker and Tichenor with their mutual respect. Both were arguing, then waiting, then arguing again after the song was played for Schumaker to continue his heated argument before getting the boot.
The call was a bad one on the called strike three. The ball was low in the strike zone, but catchers like to use their momentum to move the ball to the middle of the zone. It looked like the umpire was fooled.
The Rangers haven't had the best week, and now, they're down to the Astros by 2.5 games. Things could get out of hand fast if the Astros can get on a run, and this was Schumaker taking out some much-needed frustration. He had every right to be on the field and arguing that call, because it was a tie game when Lopez should've gotten the call to walk.
It looks like it's going to be a three-way race between the Mariners, Rangers and Astros, but if Houston keeps rolling along with the championship DNA they have, the Rangers may not have a chance.
It's been a frustrating season with inconsistencies and injuries to Corey Seager, but as former Rangers manager Ron Washington used to say: "That's the way baseball go!" Well, that can be said on multiple occasions.
Hopefully, Schumaker created a feeling that all the Rangers should have. It's time for the Rangers to wake up, and fast.
Add us as a preferred source on Google