It’s not uncommon for games between division rivals to get a little bit heated, and that’s certainly what happened during Sunday afternoon’s game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees after a pitch from Alek Manoah hit Aaron Judge.
In the fifth inning of Sunday’s game, a sinker from Manoah hit Judge on the shoulder – the same spot where Manoah nearly hit judge earlier in the game. Judge was visibly upset and had a few choice words for Manoah after the pitch, but Manoah insists that the pitch was not intentional.
“Been struggling with my sinker for about five, six starts now,” Manoah explained after the game, according to ESPN. “I made a pitch and it obviously hit Judge. I looked at him, said, ‘Man, you know, I’m not trying to do that.'”
It was not Judge, however, who escalated the situation. Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole came out of the dugout followed by several teammates during the tense exchange between Manoah and Judge, and Manoah clearly did not appreciate it.
Manoah was able to diffuse the situation with Judge, but he had some blunt and harsh words for Cole after the game.
“I think if Gerrit wants to do something, he can walk past the Audi sign next time,” Manoah said, referring to the logo sprayed on the grass by the visiting team dugout.
This confrontation adds a little bit of fire to an already strong divisional rivalry.
[ESPN, Jomboy Media]
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