Reds’ Caleb Ferguson apologizes for profane outburst at umpire Bill Miller
SEATTLE — Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson apologized Tuesday for his outburst directed toward second base umpire Bill Miller in Monday’s 8-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
“It’s just a very unprofessional thing on my part,” Ferguson said. “I know these things happen in the game, but I don’t like that I was kind of the centerpiece of what was going on.”
Ferguson spoke to the media as soon as the clubhouse opened on Tuesday. He said he hadn’t been in touch with Miller, but wanted to apologize to him in person before Tuesday’s game.
“(I’m) going to seek Bill out — or try to at some point — and definitely make it right with him,” Ferguson said. “Very unprofessional on my part. So, nothing you can do with it now. I just have to move on. I know Bill is doing his best not to be in the way in that situation, so I’ve got to be better on my part, too.”
In the seventh inning, Reds second baseman Edwin Arroyo ran into Miller while trying to field a grounder by Victor Robles. Ferguson’s expletive-filled reaction was caught on the Mariners’ broadcast.
Edwin Arroyo collides with Bill Miller and Caleb Ferguson has some choice words: “Please move you slender fellow. Just a little of to the side fine, sir”.
(or something like that)Victor Robles picks up his 4th hit of the night on the play. pic.twitter.com/ErmHdXjkhc
— Blowen’ Wilson🔱 (@MarinersGlaze) July 21, 2026
Ferguson said he wasn’t aware that his outburst was caught on video until he returned to the team’s hotel. Asked about the incident Monday night, he said, “You’ve got to ask Bill.”
Ferguson had entered the game earlier in the inning with bases loaded and gave up a grand slam to Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh on his first pitch. The next batter, Josh Naylor, singled on a ball that Ferguson deflected, and then the Reds couldn’t turn an inning-ending double play on a fielder’s choice by Cole Young, extending the inning.
With two outs and two on, Robles hit a grounder up the middle that Arroyo crossed the bag to field, but ran into Miller, allowing the ball to go into center field for a single.
Ferguson then struck out the next batter, Luke Raley, to end the inning. The broadcast then showed him mouth an expletive while looking directly at Miller, who stood stone-faced and didn’t react.
“It felt like a 1-0 game quickly turned into — I don’t know what it was when I came out of the game,” Ferguson said. “A 7-0 game. It felt like it happened very, very quick. But the nature of baseball is that we’ve got another one today. The best thing we can do is to go win this one today.”
Ferguson, 30, has played for six teams in his eight seasons in the big leagues, signing a one-year deal with the Reds last December. He’s appeared in 21 games for the Reds and has a 3.98 ERA over 20 1/3 innings. Raleigh’s homer was the third he’s allowed this season.