The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles continues to become more and more contentious.
Boston won’t let go of some sort of anger they have towards Baltimore’s Manny Machado, which many assume started when Machado slid spikes-high into Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia back on April 21st.
Pedroia would miss the next 3 games but Boston has been intent on making Machado pay ever since.
Boston pitcher Chris Sale threw a 98 mph fastball at the knees and behind Machado in the first inning of Tuesday nights game at Fenway Park.
Machado, who homered off Sale later in the game, went off on the Red Sox in a postgame locker room rant to the media.
“I mean, if you’re going to f—ing hit me, hit me. Go ahead. F—ing hit me,” Machado said (h/t ESPN). “Don’t let this s— keep lingering, f—ing around and keep trying to hit people. It’s f—ing bulls—.”
Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale didn’t seem to care too much for Machado’s comments.
“Whatever, man,” Sale said. “Not losing any sleep tonight.”
Umpire D.J. Reyburn issued warnings to both teams after Sale’s throw at Machado, who struck out. Sale then returned to the Red Sox dugout verbally firing up his teammates.
“Just getting fired up,” Sale said. “Invited everybody over for a pool party. I enjoy those. Throw some ribs on the grill, maybe a steak or two. Just trying to get the boys together.”
Machado had his own take.
“F—ing bulls—,” Machado said. “F—ing p—y s—. Coward stuff. I mean, that’s the stuff you don’t f—ing do. But I mean, I’m not on that side. I’m not in that organization. They’re still thinking about that same slide that I did. There was no intention on hurting anybody, and I’m still paying. I’m still trying to get hit at, get thrown at on my f—ing head. They’re f—ing throwing everywhere.”
Machado suggested that MLB look into what has been going on with him and the Red Sox and “do something about it.”
“You have pitchers out there with f—ing balls in their hands throwing 100 mph trying to hit people,” Machado said. “I’ve got a f—ing bat too. I could go up there and crush somebody if I wanted to, but you know what, I’ll get suspended for a year — and the pitchers only get suspended for two games. That’s not cool.
“As I see it, I slid into second base normal and kind of hurt someone a little bit, unintentional. And they’re still trying to make me pay the piper. I don’t know what their mindset is.”
Although intent seemed apparent, Boston manager John Farrell didn’t think so.
“Was there any intent? He was going in with a fastball and pulled it in,” Farrell said. “He threw 115 pitches tonight. I don’t know that you’re going to hit the spot every single time you throw the baseball.”
Whatever is going on between the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox needs to be looked at by MLB.
Things are getting out of hand in an obvious head hunt that has no end in sight.