Touch 'Em All: Umpire recovering from intestinal tear

It turns out umpire Brian O'Nora didn't just swallow his chaw during the first inning of the Phils-Mets game Friday. MLB announced Monday that he is recovering from an intestinal tear that forced him to make a sudden exit. There was no timetable for his return.

The 50-year-old had been feeling ill before the game in New York. He was the plate ump and quickly left the field during the bottom of the first, hurrying through the Mets dugout. The game was delayed nine minutes and resumed with three men in blue.

O'Nora left Citi Field and went to a hospital to be examined. O'Nora umpired in the World Series last year. He worked his first major-league game in 1992.

The Phillies aren't the only NL East team that just got better behind the plate. Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos has been activated from the 15-day disabled list. Ramos went on the DL April 14 because of a strained left hamstring. He is hitting .300 with two homers and three RBIs in six games. Washington optioned catcher Jhonatan Solano to triple-A Syracuse.

Major League Baseball is investigating an incident between Tampa Bay Rays lefty David Price and ump Tom Hallion, the Tampa Bay Times is reporting.

Price accused Hallion of cursing at him following Price's final out of an eventual 8-3 Rays win over the White Sox on Sunday.

According to Price, home-plate umpire Hallion told him to "throw the ball over the [expletive] plate" as the pitcher walked off the field in the seventh. (Earlier, Price had taken a step toward his dugout after what looked like a third strike for the final out against batter Dewayne Wise.)

Rays righty Jeremy Hellickson, sitting in the dugout, was ejected after allegedly responding to the umpire. Hallion, to a pool reporter after the game, called Price "a liar" when told of the player's account. Price reacted with a number of pointed tweets after the game.

- Inquirer wire services