MLB umpire absolutely roasts SF Giants starter Justin Verlander during ejection

SF Giants starter Justin Verlander did not pitch in Sunday's 8-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. However, his presence was felt, as home umpire Chad Whitson roasted the future Hall of Famer while he was ejected.

MLB umpire absolutely roasts SF Giants starter Justin Verlander during ejection

The exchange took place in the top of the sixth inning with Brett Wisely at the plate. The left-handed hitter did not see a strike through the first five pitches he saw against Braydon Fisher. However, Whitson called two of those pitches strikes, bringing the count full. Wisely did line a single in the ninth pitch of the at-bat.

During the at-bat, Verlander was critical of Whitson's strike zone, leading the home plate umpire to roast the veteran pitcher while ejecting him from the game (hat tip to KNBR)

Okay, that is kind of a mean thing to say, but that type of criticism goes both ways. Regadless, it is unprofessional for an umpire to say something like this. In fairness to Verlander, he was only trying to stand up for Wisely. And, Whitson's scorecard was awful on Sunday, with calls favoring the Blue Jays way more than the Giants. Those things tend to even out throughout the year.

It has been a rough season for Verlander. He joined the Giants on a one-year, $15-million deal. He plans to pitch for several more seasons after this one to reach 300 wins. However, winning baseball games is challenging, and this is highlighted by Verlander's struggles to move that needle.

The 42-year-old pitcher began the year with 262 career wins, and remains stuck on that number. He has struggled to a 4.99 ERA through 16 starts. That said, Verlander has thrown well enough to win, at least, a few games this year, but the bullpen has blown those games.

Verlander's command has not been particularly sharp this year, especially with his four-seam fastball. That is problematic for a pitch he throws nearly half of the time. Opposing hitters have a .301 batting average and .566 slugging percentage against his four-seamer this season.

The Giants could be nearing a crossroads with Verlander. They still plan to compete, and the right-handed pitcher has not put together many competitive starts. He remains in the rotation for now, but that unit looks like it will be a pressing need for the Giants to target.