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MLB saw its second bench-clearing confrontation in as many days on Saturday between the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. This one all started with a bunt.
The fun began with Rays infielder José Caballero putting a ball down in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs and a man on third. Blue Jays third baseman Justin Turner fielded the bunt and threw the ball wide left of first base, allowing the Rays to extend their lead to 3-1.
Caballero kept going after Turner’s fielding error and tried for third base, but was thrown out. Rather than slide into third on the obvious out, he took another step past the base and bumped into Blue Jays pitcher Génesis Cabrera, who had moved toward the base from a back-up position as the play ended.
Cabrera apparently took exception to something and gave Caballero a hard shove after some heated words.
Cue the benches clearing:
The end result in the play was the end of the seventh inning and Cabrera being ejected after one inning of work. Cabrera can probably expect some discipline from MLB over the matter.
This came only a day after a similar confrontation between Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins and New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil, in which McNeil took exception to Hoskins sliding past second base and into his ankle on a double-play ball.
There were no crybaby gestures in this brawl, at least.
The Rays went on to win 5-1 to improve their record to 2-1. They can only hope Caballero has a day on Sunday like Hoskins did the day after his brawl.