The Boston Red Sox’s 2-0 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Fenway Park was a gritty team effort, but the headlines are all about Walker Buehler’s fiery ejection and a spicy back-and-forth with Mets star Francisco Lindor. Buehler, fresh off the injured list with shoulder bursitis, was dealing in his return—2.1 hitless innings, four strikeouts, two walks—until a third-inning call set him off. After plunking Lindor and watching him steal second, Buehler thought he had Juan Soto struck out, but umpire Mike Estabrook called it a ball. Video replays backed Buehler’s case—it was a strike down the middle—and his frustration boiled over. He stepped off the mound, charged toward Estabrook, and got tossed after a heated exchange. Manager Alex Cora jumped in to defend his pitcher but got ejected too, leaving the Red Sox to lean on their bullpen.
The drama didn’t end there. Postgame reports revealed Lindor was egging on Buehler’s ejection, cheering from the dugout, which lit a fuse under the Red Sox right-hander. Sports commentator Jordan Moore called out Lindor on X for “screaming and rooting” for the toss, and Buehler reposted it, firing off a shot of his own: “I wouldn’t want me out there either. Sad thing is the BULLPEN is full of f***ing animals. Tough choice.” It was a classic Buehler jab—confident, unapologetic, and hyping his relievers, who proved him right by shutting out the Mets with just four hits allowed. Carlos Narváez and Rafael Devers provided the offense with solo homers in the fifth, sealing the Mets’ third straight loss.
Buehler’s outburst was his first ejection since 2021, and he’s not one to argue unless he’s dead certain—like he was here. “I’ve been in this league too long for that to happen,” he said postgame, owning the moment but regretting putting his team in a bind. “This is a team game, and I let it get out of hand.” Cora, ever the players’ coach, tried to take the fall, saying he begged Estabrook to toss him instead: “I’ll go out and you can throw me out, we’ll keep the pitcher in the game. But I guess he had enough.”
Lindor’s role in the saga didn’t go unnoticed. Reports suggest he leaned into the hit-by-pitch, which sparked Buehler’s ire, and his antics during the ejection drew heat from fans and analysts. Buehler didn’t hold back, mocking Lindor’s “theatrics” in a postgame jab that’s got fans buzzing. The Red Sox had the last laugh, but Mets owner Steve Cohen’s cryptic postgame message on X—promising “changes” after the skid—hints at bigger trouble in Queens.
For Boston, it’s a gutty win that shows their depth, with a bullpen that stepped up and a lineup that made two swings count. Buehler’s fire, while costly, is the kind of edge that can rally a team. As they eye the series finale, expect the Sox to come out swinging—and maybe Buehler to have a few extra words for Lindor if they cross paths again. Check the boxscore above for the full stats, but this one’s about heart, hustle, and a little bad blood.
