Phillies Skipper Ejected Over Pitch Clock Complaint

Phillies manager Rob Thomson and ace Aaron Nola ended up on the wrong side of MLB's divisive pitch clock on Saturday.

Playing against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park, Nola was flagged for requesting new baseballs on the mound to avoid pitch-clock violations.

Miller recognized Nola's tactic of deliberately extending the pitch clock. He gave the Phillies ace a warning in the sixth inning. Nola and the Phillies saw the baseball requests as routine, so manager Rob Thomson blew a fuse in the process.

Ump Points Out Pitch-Clock Loophole

As a refresher, pitchers are given 15 seconds to deliver the pitch without runners on base. Pitchers receive 20 seconds when a runner is on base.

Thomson took great issue with Miller's warning and got in the ump's face, leading to the skipper's ejection.

Miller's warning wasn't the most unusual scene started by a pitch-clock violation but did show the gray area of trying to speed up the game.

(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Speaking with NBC Sports Philadelphia, Nola gave his insight on the scene.

"I think the pitch clock was a little too fast, seems to be that way when we get back home," Nola said.

Thomson gave his opinion on the bogus warning by Miller.

“I don’t know how you can tell whether a guy is actually throwing out a baseball because he doesn’t like the feel of it or he’s trying to stall unless you’re a mind reader.”

(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

“As the game went on, he started to throw more and more balls out where we felt he was trying to reset the clock, which is an attempt to circumvent the pitch clock regulations,” Miller said in the postgame.

“It’s up to the umpire’s judgment if any player, at any time, is attempting to circumvent the pitch clock regulations.”