Mariners fan sends Jesse Winker pizza in clubhouse after ejection
Jun 26, 2022, 4:00 PM | Updated: 7:14 pm
Mariners LF Jesse Winker approaches the Angels' Anthony Rendon after he was hit by a pitch Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Tensions ran high for the Mariners in their game Sunday against the Angels, but an M’s fan had an ingenious idea to cheer up one of Seattle’s players that was ejected due to an on-field fracas.
Mariners, Angels get in major brawl; eight ejected
Left fielder Jesse Winker was one of six players and eight people total handed an ejection on Sunday for the part he played in a benches-clearing brawl in the second inning. Winker was hit on the hip by a pitch by Angels reliever Andrew Wantz, which came after Wantz sailed a pitch in the first inning near Mariners phenom Julio Rodríguez’s head. Winker subsequently approached the Angels’ dugout and engaged with members of the opposing squad during the brawl.
It was clear there was intention behind Wantz’s pitches. Angels superstar Mike Trout was unhappy Saturday night after a pitch from Mariners reliever Erik Swanson came near his head and said as much after the game. Then interim Angels manager Phil Nevin made a late change to his scheduled starter Sunday, pushing José Suarez back and going with Wantz as an opener. It was so obvious that something could happen Sunday that the specter of on-field fireworks was the subject of the daily roundtable segment of the Mariners pregame show Sunday on Seattle Sports.
Since Winker was a major player in the brawl, it was no surprise that he was one of the players to receive an ejection.
Enter Mariners fan Sofie, who uses the handle @sofieballgame on Twitter.
In a scene that would be right at home in a sequel to the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” – which fittingly was set in Southern California – Sofie ordered a pizza from Mountain Mike’s Pizza on Doordash and had it sent to Winker in the Mariners’ clubhouse. And yes, Winker actually got it thanks to the efforts of Doordash delivery person Simranjeet.
Sofie provided updates throughout the process.
I just ordered a pizza for Jesse Winker from @MountainMikes Pizza in Anaheim. You deserve it big guy @Mariners pic.twitter.com/AymUQvQ3r9
— Sofie 🏳️🌈 (@sofieballgame) June 26, 2022
In a particularly heads-up move, Sofie tagged the Mariners’ Twitter account in the hopes that someone on the social media team could help Simranjeet get the pizza inside the gates of Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
If any @Mariners awesome social media people are following this, he is at Gate 6! pic.twitter.com/65fqnpwxNQ
— Sofie 🏳️🌈 (@sofieballgame) June 26, 2022
And finally, Winker confirmed that the pizza had reached its destination, sending Sofie a direct message from his Instagram account.
HE GOT THE PIZZA MY FRIENDS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! pic.twitter.com/7mmV603Uyk
— Sofie 🏳️🌈 (@sofieballgame) June 26, 2022
The pizza, by the way? Pepperoni, of course.
Following Sunday’s 2-1 loss, the Mariners headed home to begin a series against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 p.m. Monday night on Seattle Sports.
