"About f**** time" - Fans erupt after Astros skipper Joe Espada unleashes NSFW tirade toward Cal Raleigh post ejection

Joe Espada faced an ejection for arguing a strike three call in the bottom of the fifth inning in the game against the Seattle Mariners, which the Houston Astros lost 6-4. The Astros skipper didn't realize he was ejected from the game as he stayed back before the umpires requested his departure from the dugout after the end of the inning.

Fans were quickly on the scene as they reacted to Joe Espada getting ejected.

"Bout f**king time. Jesus, got more life from a corpse than him," a fan wrote. "Shoulda been DFAd," another fan wrote. "The Astros should eject him after this season. We've been completely unprepared for the past 2 months in pretty much every facet of the game," fan said of the team's current state. "Go get some sleep in the clubhouse; wake up with your team out of the playoffs," a fan sarcastically suggested. "Should be fired," a fan opined. "He needs to be ejected after the season is over. He aint the guy," another fan said.

Astros slugger Jesus Sanchez was called out by home plate umpire Shane Livensparger on a 1-2 count on a pitch that appeared to be rising above the strike zone. In the previous inning, Victor Caratini was also called for a third strike on a 1-2 count with the pitch appearing to miss the zone.

Espada and hitting coach Tony Snitker made their feelings known from the benches which prompted Livensparger to motion two actions of ejections. However, Espada missed them as he was walking up to the home plate at that time.

The umpires, noticing Espada had retained his spot in the Astros' dugout, promptly asked him to leave in the bottom of the fifth. The 50-year-old got into a heated argument with crew chief Mike Muchlinski. While leaving the field, he also appeared to hurl some profanity at Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who was returning to his backstop position.

Joe Espada clears the air about remaining in the game after ejection

After the game, the Astros manager explained his side as to why he went back to the dugout instead of leaving for the clubhouse.

“I went out there and asked who got ejected,” Espada said. “He said Troy. So I assumed that was the only (one). And I guess I got ejected too during that inning. But whatever. He didn’t have a good night behind the plate.”

This was Espada's eighth career managerial ejection. He had been ejected five times last year, and this was his third ejection in 2025. The first one was on the 18th of May against the Texas Rangers, and the second on the 15th of August against the Baltimore Orioles.

Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy