Las Vegas, August 18, 2025 — Seattle Mariners outfielder Víctor Robles was ejected from a Triple-A rehab game with Tacoma on Sunday after reacting by throwing his bat at opposing pitcher Joey Estes. The incident occurred after Robles safely avoided being hit by a first-pitch fastball during his second at-bat.
In the third inning, Estes delivered an inside pitch that came close enough to Robles that he instinctively swatted at it to protect himself. Robles then dropped his bat, stepped behind the plate, picked the bat back up, and flung it toward the mound—promptly resulting in his ejection by home plate umpire Joe McCarthy.
Robles, rehabbing after a left shoulder dislocation sustained in April, has been hit by pitches in three of his last four rehab games. Frustrated, he took threatening steps toward Estes, prompting a swift intervention by teammates and the umpire to defuse the situation.
Once back in the dugout, Robles even hurled a box of snacks onto the field before returning to the clubhouse.
Reddit reactions among fans revealed mixed opinions, with some empathizing with Robles’ frustration:
“This needs more context. Robles has been beaned by this team all weekend… that’s why he lost his cool.”
Meanwhile, other commentators simply called the incident “psychotic,” highlighting the emotional toll of repeated HBP (hit-by-pitch) encounters.