There are players who go with the flow, and then there are the ones who never met a called strike they didn’t want to scream about. Whether it was arguing balls and strikes, chirping from the dugout, or getting tossed for fun, these guys had a special relationship with the men in blue—and by special, we mean hostile.
Some were hotheads, others just perfectionists who couldn’t handle human error behind the plate. But one thing’s for sure: if there was a controversial call, they were probably in the middle of it.
20. Bryce Harper
Harper never needed much to start jawing with an ump, especially on borderline strike calls. Toss in some bat flips and eye rolls, and it’s been a rocky road with the guys behind the plate.
19. Carlos Zambrano
Zambrano treated every close call like a personal attack. His meltdowns on the mound were legendary, and umpires often bore the brunt of his fire.
18. Josh Donaldson
Donaldson has made a career out of staring down umpires like he’s reading their souls. If a call didn’t go his way, you better believe the drama was coming.
17. Yadier Molina
As a catcher, he had a front-row seat to every questionable call—and wasn’t afraid to let umps know when they missed one. Even behind the plate, Yadi wasn’t above getting into it with the crew.
16. Manny Machado
Machado’s temper has gotten him tossed more than a few times. He rarely holds back when he thinks the ump missed a call, especially if it costs him at the plate.
15. Chris Sale
Sale doesn’t just get mad—he simmers like a tea kettle until the lid blows. When an umpire made a questionable call, the slow-burn rage was very real.
14. Joey Votto
Votto’s not your typical loudmouth, but he’s been known to lecture umps mid at-bat like a professor correcting a student. He’ll argue with a smile, but it still gets heated.
13. A.J. Pierzynski
He loved getting under people’s skin, including umpires. If there was a borderline call, Pierzynski had something to say (and probably something snarky, too).
12. Jonathan Papelbon
Papelbon always pitched like he was one call away from detonation. And when that call didn’t go his way, it was go-time with the umpire.
11. Yasiel Puig
Puig brought flair, passion, and a short fuse. His disagreements with umpires often felt like mini soap operas sprinkled throughout the season.
10. George Brett
Before the Pine Tar incident cemented his legacy of rage, Brett already had a rep for losing it on calls. The man never took a bad call quietly.
9. Kevin Youkilis
Youkilis had a knack for taking every strike call personally. His exaggerated reactions and disbelief were practically part of his batting stance.
8. Milton Bradley
Bradley didn’t just have issues with umpires—he had issues with everyone. But when he turned his frustration on the umps, it usually ended in fireworks.
7. Max Scherzer
Scherzer’s intensity is off the charts, and he expects perfection from himself and from the umps. A missed call meant icy glares and plenty of muttering.
6. B.J. Upton
Whether he was batting or playing the field, Upton always seemed a hair-trigger away from arguing. The guy had a knack for finding the umpire’s last nerve.
5. Paul O’Neill
O’Neill wore his emotions on his sleeve and never hesitated to let an umpire know he was wrong. Combine that with his bat-throwing tendencies, and it was never boring.
4. Javy Báez
Báez plays with swagger, and when that swagger met a called strike three, chaos often followed. He didn’t argue all the time—but when he did, he made it count.
3. Dennis Eckersley
Eckersley’s fire came with some serious attitude, and he wasn’t afraid to challenge a call. Even as a closer, he made sure the umpires heard him.
Read More: 19 MLB Players Who Would Rather Argue Than Run to First
2. Bobby Cox
Okay, not a player—but no one got tossed more than this guy. Cox was practically an honorary umpire with how often he was out there arguing a call.
Read More: 15 MLB Managers Who Always Lost It on the Ump
1. Pedro Martinez
Pedro had it all: dominance, flair, and a deep distrust of umpires. He didn’t argue to argue—he argued because he knew he was right, and that made things spicy every time.
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