Toronto Blue Jays coach ejected after questioning Phillies pitcher’s delivery

By Liam Tremblay — 8 August 2026 — 3 min read

Blue Jays challenge Wheeler’s pitching motion

During a recent game, an incident unfolded involving Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler and the Toronto Blue Jays. The interaction led to the ejection of Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins. The controversy centred on whether Wheeler’s foot was properly positioned on the pitching rubber during his delivery.

Popkins was ejected in the fourth inning after vocalizing concerns from the dugout, suggesting that Wheeler’s foot was not correctly on the pitching rubber. This followed an earlier conversation between Toronto manager John Schneider and home plate umpire John Tumpane regarding Wheeler’s foot placement. Tumpane subsequently dismissed Popkins, stating, “I don’t wanna hear about the rubber anymore.”

After the game, Wheeler commented on the situation, stating, “I’m gonna keep doing what I do. I’ve been pitching over there forever, and I’m gonna keep doing it. You know, they’ve lost a lot of games over there, so they’re probably trying to pick some things up to complain about.”

Reactions from both dugouts

Blue Jays manager John Schneider addressed the incident post-game, defending his staff while also acknowledging Wheeler’s skill. “Let me say this first and foremost, Zack Wheeler is an unbelievable pitcher and has been for a long time,” Schneider said. He added, “I have all the respect in the world for him. We were just getting information that his foot was off the rubber on the first-base side. … It’s hard to see in real time.”

Schneider further explained that the team was receiving information from video angles suggesting Wheeler’s foot was off the rubber on the first-base side during his windup. He emphasized his role in protecting his players, stating, “This dude’s been pitching at an elite level for his entire career. … But it was just an example of our hitting coach kind of protecting the players and me doing the same.”

Wheeler confirmed that he was aware of the issue, as MLB had previously reviewed video of his delivery from a nationally televised game earlier in the season. The Phillies reportedly provided additional video and data to demonstrate the legality of his delivery. Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly also defended Wheeler, noting that a centre-field camera can sometimes create a misleading view of the pitching motion.

Game outcome and Wheeler’s performance

Despite the controversy, the Blue Jays secured a 5-4 victory over the Phillies. Wheeler, who is considered one of the top pitchers in MLB, had one of his less effective outings of the season. He earned the loss after pitching 5.1 innings, during which he gave up four runs on seven hits and issued a season-high five walks.

The MLB rulebook specifies that a pitcher must maintain contact with the rubber when initiating their throwing motion. Wheeler reportedly pitches with his right foot positioned on the front edge of the rubber, appearing close to being off the mark.

Despite this particular performance, Wheeler maintains a strong season record, including a 10-3 record, a 2.69 ERA, and 132 strikeouts across 110.1 innings in 19 starts. The Phillies are managing his workload following decompression surgery for venous thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused him to miss the final two months of the 2025 season.

The incident occurred during a game on Friday, August 8, 2026.

Source: sportsnet.ca