A pair of high-profile ejections has renewed scrutiny of Major League Baseball umpiring and broadcast commentary involving New York’s two clubs. On 24 June in Cincinnati, Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was ejected before the bottom of the ninth inning of an eventual 5–4, 11-inning loss after questioning a strike call by plate umpire Mark Wegner. Chisholm maintains he said only, “Why are you looking at me?” before being dismissed. Manager Aaron Boone said there was “a pretty strong case” the infielder should have remained in the game and suggested catcher José Trevino may have drawn Wegner’s attention to Chisholm. The episode forced a late-inning defensive reshuffle and drew sharp criticism of the player’s conduct from YES Network announcer Michael Kay. Twelve days later, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was thrown out by plate umpire John Bacon in the ninth inning of a Subway Series finale at Citi Field after two contested strike calls to Luis Torrens. Mendoza stormed onto the field, was ejected immediately, and kicked dirt over home plate before exiting. The Mets fell 6–4, denying them a series sweep and ending the Yankees’ six-game skid. The consecutive incidents, coupled with Kay’s on-air dispute with Toronto broadcaster Jamie Campbell after the Blue Jays swept New York earlier in the week, have intensified debate about the consistency of strike-zone calls and the tenor of public criticism directed at umpires as the season reaches its midpoint.