The notion of the benches clearing in baseball is not an unfamiliar feat.
Teams go to battle for every single one of their teammates, and on the biggest stage in the MLB, this is no different.
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The benches cleared in Tuesday’s contest between the Angels and RangersCredit: X/ @SleeperAngels
On Tuesday, in a match-up between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, Zach Neto and superstar Mike Trout were on the receiving end of some pretty strong pitches from Rangers relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong late on in the contest.
Tensions boiled over at Angel Stadium
Armstrong hit Neto and Trout with consecutive pitches in the bottom of the eighth inning, which led to the bases being loaded.
However, after the 11-time MLB All-Star was struck on the hand, Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery had seen enough from the opposition, and walked out on the field toward the plate, waving his arms and yelling at Rangers manager Bruce Bochy.
The benches then cleared, as did the bullpens – though more amicably in the sense that there wasn’t a huge brawl that needed physical intervention – with the two teams out there to support their respective managers in their stand-off.
“I just heard the yelling, and that was enough,” Texas manager Bochy said. “[Hitting guys intentionally] was the last thing (we were trying to do). I brought Armstrong in to keep them from scoring a run.
“But I guess we hit somebody, and it’s intentional, but when they hit (Rangers shortstop Corey) Seager, it’s not. I just thought that was enough.”
When asked about the incident from his own point-of-view, Montgomery insisted his outburst was a result of two other hits to his players earlier on in the contest, one to Neto being hit (again) by Patrick Corbin in the first inning, and Luis Rengifo being hit by Caleb Boushley in the seventh.
“We know these guys so well,” Montgomery said. “I don’t think the intent was anything more than obviously guys getting hit.
“But in the same breath, you get four hit-by-pitches, you hit our second baseman, our shortstop (twice) and then Mike (Trout) — the only thing I said was, ‘How many times are you going to hit a guy?’
“I wasn’t insinuating that they were intentionally doing it, by any means.
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Angels interim manager Montgomery was not impressed by the Rangers’ pitchingCredit: Getty
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Trout is a superstar in LA, but has missed a lot of time with injury in the last five yearsCredit: Getty
“When that happens, everybody’s angry in the moment. I was just frustrated that our guys were getting hit, and I wanted him to command the ball a little bit better.”
Three-time American League MVP Trout, who has yet to make a return to his natural outfielding position since returning from a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee back in May, was appreciative of his manager coming to the defense of his team.
“I think the boys loved it — he’s sticking up for his guys,” Trout said. “I’ve been saying it since day one. We have a tight group here, we play for each other.”
Having had to have dealt with a plethora of injuries since 2020, in which he has played more than 100 games in a season just once, being hit by Armstrong’s pitch could have, for a moment, been a cause for concern due to his career having been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons.
Since his return to the lineup, though, the $426.5 million star has been on an offensive rampage, leading the Angels offense in on-base percentage and runs scored, with a slash line of .266/.412/.457 and a wRC+ of 141.
Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with incredible streak as he ends 70-year MLB drought in Dodgers win
With an 8-5 victory over their division rivals, having overturned a 4-3 deficit in the sixth inning, the Anaheim outfit are making a charge in the American League West, having picked up their fourth victory in five outings.
This sees them just eight games back from the Houston Astros (61-47 record), whilst they are four and three games back of the Seattle Mariners (57-51) and Rangers (56-52), respectively, with a 53-55 record, just two wins shy from being an even .500.