As the dust settles from the frozen feud at Fenway last night, check out what players and members of the New York Yankees coaching staff had to say about the latest spark in the most storied rivalry in sports.
A bench-clearing brawl that was started as a result of a hard but clean slide into second base by Tyler Austin has the rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at a fever pitch. The way that Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton moved that scrum of players during the fight was enough to make the Giants offensive line coach blush.
Four ejections (yes, four) were the umpire’s immediate knee-jerk reaction to Tyler Austin‘s unannounced mound visit. There is almost certainly going to be fines and possible suspensions to be handed down by Major League Baseball before all is said and done. But once the game finally ended, players from both teams had plenty to say about the events that transpired.
Ouch. #RedSox #Yankees pic.twitter.com/WmsEQQFwb3
— Marc Bertrand (@Marc_Bertrand) April 12, 2018
Austin; who Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt accused of a dirty slide to break up a double play earlier in the game, felt that the play in question was clean and in no way deserving of taking 98 mph around the head.
“I felt like my slide into second base was a clean slide. I play the game hard. I thought there was nothing wrong with that slide. I had no thought that they were going to throw at me.” – Tyler Austin
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
Additionally Austin’s new teammate Giancarlo Stanton wasted little time letting everyone know that he’s got his first baseman’s back.
"That wasn't a dirty play. The cleats caught. You don't need to drill him for that, and if you're going to do it, do it on the first pitch." – Giancarlo Stanton
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
The only non-player to hit the showers early was Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin, who looked like Dr. Jekyll mutating into Mr. Hyde upon learning of his own ejection. Aside from the exceptional theater he provided after getting tossed, Nevin had this to say about the Austin slide.
Yankees 3B coach Phil Nevin is all about the old-school hardball.
"I still don't really think twice about it, to be honest with you, after watching it several times. I just thought it was a good baseball play. He was trying to beat the tag and slid hard. That was all."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
In related Nevin news, the former Padre must have somehow seen footage of his WWE-esque rant because he had something to say about that as well. Enjoy.
"I know one thing. I'm going to wear less layers tomorrow, because geez, I look fat with a sweatshirt under my jersey. I'll be freezing, but I don't want to look like that on the field anymore." – Phil Nevin
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
While Nevin was able to find some humor in something that could have been so much worse, Red Sox backstop Christian Vazquez does not believe that this is over. According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Vazquez even thinks that some retaliation may be in the cards for tonight’s rubber game.
Red Sox C Christian Vazquez said he expects the Yankees to retaliate.
"You know that's coming," Vazquez said. "They feel like us. The clubhouse is our second home. It's wanting to protect our home, so it will be something soon. If not this series, maybe in New York."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
Unless the score for tonight’s game is completely out of hand, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Yankees to get their revenge this evening. Right now, the Yankees are trying to win games and figure out who they are. Later on during the season, however, expect to see some serious Goodfellas-style revisiting of the Beantown Beatdown.
Oh Tommy Boy
While everyone knew that Austin, Nevin and Joe Kelly (the pitcher who drilled Austin from which the fight ensued) were all ejected, not many people knew that Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle was also thrown out.
Tommy Kahnle was also ejected tonight. Kahnle adamantly claimed that he was grabbed and pushed by an umpire, according to Aaron Boone.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2018
With Kahnle being responsible for Mookie Betts’ grand slam in the first game of this series, you have to believe the reliever wanted to get a couple of shots in on a team who is responsible for making his ERA look more like a fast food value meal price. Even with that in mind, those allegations of an umpire being involved in the scrum are definitely no laughing matter.
With all that has taken place in the first two games of this series, expect the rubber game tonight to be electric.
