Angels Triumph Over Rays Amid Pregame Ejections

The Los Angeles Angels secured a convincing victory against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. The highlight of the day was overshadowed by a pregame incident leading to the ejection of three players before the game began. Third-base umpire ejected Angels’ reliever Brent Suter and Rays pitchers Steven Wilson and Manuel Rodríguez during the warm-up at Tropicana Field. The ejections were due to a ‘standoff’ that occurred following the national anthem ceremony.

After the anthem ended, Suter stood close to the third-base dugout. Across the field, Wilson and Rodríguez stood near the first-base dugout, alongside the Rays mascots. Meanwhile, Drew Rasmussen was ready on the mound, and Angels’ leadoff hitter Zach Neto waited in the batter’s box for the game to start. The umpire eventually announced the ejections of all three players involved in the incident. However, the game proceeded as planned.

Brent Suter had participated in Friday’s series opener. It was uncertain if he would pitch on Saturday, as back-to-back pitching days are rare. For Rodríguez and Wilson, neither had appeared this season. Rodríguez is in recovery from elbow surgery, and Wilson is dealing with lumbar disc inflammation.

The Angels secured a 14-3 victory. The two teams are set to play the series finale on Sunday. With each team having secured one win, the final game will decide the series winner.