Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez had pointed words after plate umpire Laz Diaz and star slugger Bryce Harper jawed during a game against the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
Harper and Diaz were arguing with each other much of the night. It started when Harper disagreed with a call in the fifth inning and continued when Harper was in center field as they yelled at each other during the next inning.
It stopped short of reaching a boiling point in the seventh when Diaz called a strike on a pitch that appeared to be off the plate.