Today’s Headlines
Both Managers Thrown Out in Same Inning of Same Game
The contest between the Angels and Guardians got heated on Monday, but not only due to plays on the field.
With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom half of the seventh inning and the Guardians needing wins to keep ahead of Chicago and Minnesota in the AL Central race, Cleveland’s Steven Kwan reached first on a line drive to left field.
A double by Amed Rosario in the next at bat got him home and put the Guardians up 5-4, and then Angels’ pitcher Aaron Loup intentionally walked José Ramírez. Loup was then lifted to make way for Ryan Tepera, who struck out Oscar Gonzalez and induced a pop up from Owen Miller for the second out of the inning. That brought second baseman Andrés Giménez to the plate.
A slider in the dirt near Gimenez’s feet animated Guardians manager Terry Francona, who believed the ball struck his player’s foot. He emerged from the dugout to argue the call with home plate Ron Kulpa, who took some guff before tossing the enraged Francona. Then events took a turn for the bizarre.
Tepera, who had stood by as Francona made his opinion known, attempted to toss a warmup pitch to stay loose, but was stopped by the umpire crew. Tepera barked in frustration, which brought Angels manager Phil Nevin onto the field. After getting into the Kulpa’s face as well, he was also tossed from the game.
Terry Francona and Phil Nevin were BOTH tossed from the game in the 7th inning
Francona arguing a HBP and Nevin arguing to let his pitcher get some warm up in
Chaos has erupted in Cleveland pic.twitter.com/QYpR7PYVsQ
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 13, 2022
After Nevin was seen out, Tepera was allowed to throw his warmup pitches and ultimately induced a groundout from Gimenez to end the inning. Cleveland’s Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges and Emmanuel Clase pitched their way through two scoreless innings to secure a Guardians win, but the ejections were the oddball highlight of the day.
Blue Jays Best Rays to Get Ahead in AL Wild Card Race
With roughly 20 games left in the season, the Rays, Blue Jays, and Mariners are neck-and-neck for the top AL Wild Card spot. Toronto gave their chances a boost with a gritty 3-2 win over the Rays on Monday.
Tampa Bay got an early lead off Toronto’s José Berríos with a Jonathan Aranda single that scored David Peralta in the second, but the Jays answered with a single from the red hot Bo Bichette that plated Springer.
Bichette was in the middle of the action the whole game. After the RBI single, he was nearly beheaded by a Javy Guerra sinker in the sixth that led to acrimony between the coaches:
Bo Bichette and Francisco Mejia were both hit-by-a-pitch in back-to-back innings
After the umps got together, the coaching staffs were barking at each other pic.twitter.com/6oCuquvcsl
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 13, 2022
But he emerged unscathed and responded by belting a two-run dinger that decided the contest in the Jays’ favor:
SEPTEM-BO IN TORONTO 🤩 pic.twitter.com/CJ3RCMkRhq
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 13, 2022
These teams are square off four more times in the next three days, beginning with a double header at 1:07 ET today. They have a total of eight more head-to-head games before the season is out, so expect more fireworks before September is over.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Mike Trout Homers in Seventh Straight Game
With their team eliminated from the playoffs, Angels fans don’t have a lot left to cheer about this season. One tiny bit of silver lining is that Mike Trout is healthy and proving once again that he’s a generational talent. His pursuit of individual greatness is reason enough to tune in.
most consecutive games with a HR:
1993 Ken Griffey Jr: 8
1987 Don Mattingly: 8
1956 Dale Long: 8
2022 Mike Trout: 7 *ACTIVE STREAK*
2021 Joey Votto: 7
2018 Kendrys Morales: 7
2006 Kevin Mench: 7
2004 Barry Bonds: 7
2002 Jim Thome: 7 https://t.co/zaX4IE9sIi— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 12, 2022
Bellinger Confused Male Entertainers with Chipmunks
Probably better if you just watch the Twitter video on this one.
Cody Bellinger thought he was doing Chip 'n' Dale dress-up with Justin Turner, as in the chipmunks, not the Chippendales. pic.twitter.com/DUdR1LukVt
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) September 12, 2022
Foul Ball Off Catcher’s Mask Ends in Out
Can you imagine making a barehanded catch immediately after getting hit in the face by an 80+ MPH foul tip? Of course not, you (and most other humans) would be knocked out, but the Rangers’ Jonah Heim did just that.
The concentration! What an insane play! 😱
(MLB x @pvsports_) pic.twitter.com/M0xMJitK95
— MLB (@MLB) September 13, 2022
Injuries
- The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner sat out Monday’s game due to a triceps issue
- Angels first baseman David Fletcher sat Monday with a hand issue
- Marlins outfielder Avisaíl García sat with a hamstring issue
Articles You Should Read
- Why Having Enough Left-Handed Hitting is Crucial in October – Jesse Rogers, ESPN
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)