A contentious series was expected when we first learned the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros would meet this week in Houston.
A contentious series is exactly what we’re already getting.
[Still time to join or create a fantasy baseball league for the short season]
The benches cleared in Tuesday’s series opener after Dodgers’ reliever Joe Kelly uncorked a pair of pitches that did not sit well with Astros batters.
The first was a 96 MPH fastball that sailed behind Alex Bregman on a 3-0 pitch.
3-0 pitch from Joe Kelly ends up going behind Alex Bregman. pic.twitter.com/q6P8CD5oqj
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
The second was a curveball that forced Carlos Correa to duck out of the way.
Carlos Correa has to duck out of the way from an inside breaking ball from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/NabNOVB0Q6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 29, 2020
While he didn’t hit either batter, the fastball seemed to have some clear intent behind it.
The benches didn’t clear until after the inning, when Kelly did this after striking out Correa.
— crag brainpills (@cdgoldstein) July 29, 2020
Kelly and Corra exchanged words after Correa struck out to end the inning. Then the benches cleared. pic.twitter.com/tpSYuRC0Hg
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) July 29, 2020
Of course, the discontent all stems from the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
Many believe — Dodgers players included — it was Los Angeles that lost the most as a direct result of Houston’s scheme. After all, it was the Dodgers who fell to Houston in 2017 World Series, when the sign-stealing scheme was reportedly at its height. Dodgers players have been outspoken about it over the past few months. In fact, Joc Pederson referenced it right before the game.
#Dodgers OF Joc Pederson doesn't think whatever team wins the World Series this year should have an asterisk by its name. "They're not cheating their way to get there," he said.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 28, 2020
It all led to speculation that some form of retaliation was forthcoming.
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For the first five innings, Tuesday’s game was uneventful. That immediately changed when Kelly entered. The 32-year-old has been involved in retaliatory plunkings before. With the Boston Red Sox in 2018, he was suspended six games for hitting Tyler Austin in retaliation for a controversial slide.
No punches were thrown when the benches emptied. A suspension could still be handed down given the circumstances. A fine is almost certain.
In recent months, baseball’s newest budding rivalry had been forced to take a backseat to far more important issues that are plaguing the league and the country. But it’s clear after Tuesday that this bad blood isn’t going away anytime soon.
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