Team Panama did not go down without a fight in this year\u2019s World Baseball Classic \u2013 on the field and in the dugout.<\/p>\n
Trailing 4-3 against Team Colombia in the bottom of the ninth inning in Monday\u2019s contest, veteran infielder Jonathan Ara\u00faz \u2013 who entered as a pinch hitter \u2013 grounded out to second base to begin the frame.<\/p>\n
Ara\u00faz did not hustle out of the batter\u2019s box and got into a heated exchange with Team Panama manager Jos\u00e9 Mayorga as he returned to the home dugout at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n
Team Panama\u2019s veteran infielder Jonathan Ara\u00faz has to be restrained after a confrontation with manager Jos\u00e9 Mayorga. FS2<\/p>\n
Ara\u00faz did not hustle out of the box during his ninth-inning groundball. FS2<\/p>\n
The pair was immediately separated, with Ara\u00faz being physically restrained by a member of Team Panama.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo put yourself in [Ara\u00faz\u2019s] shoes, he\u2019s not playing, he\u2019s a former major league player, he\u2019s frustrated,\u201d Fox Sports 2 announcer and ex-MLB pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith said during the broadcast. \u201cAnd then he got some words from his teammates for not busting it, there\u2019s so much pent-up frustration.<\/p>\n
Panama pinch-hitter Jonathan Arauz had to be held back during an altercation with manager Jos\u00e9 Mayorga while they were down one in the ninth inning and facing elimination<\/p>\n
A former Red Sox, Orioles and Mets infielder, Arauz got just one start and five at bats in this WBC pic.twitter.com\/jhgdbSj91X<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018He\u2019s probably like, \u2018Oh, you have me pinch-hitting now.\u2019 He\u2019s probably frustrated he\u2019s not starting on this team because he\u2019s a veteran player and this is what happens when you start pressing.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not Ara\u00faz\u2019s first time showing emotion during a WBC contest, as he was visibly frustrated with a teammate<\/a> who did not tag up and score on a flyout during a game against Cuba in 2023.<\/p>\n In four games during the 2023 WBC, Ara\u00faz slashed a solid .267\/.421\/.333 with three RBIs \u2013 but registered one walk and no hits in five at-bats this time around.<\/p>\n He has appeared in parts of four MLB seasons, most recently suiting up for the 2023 Mets, where he hit a meager .136 with three home runs over 26 games.<\/p>\n Yankees shortstop Jos\u00e9 Caballero launched a home run for Panama in the sixth inning of Monday\u2019s loss. AP<\/p>\n Mayorga did not go into detail about the confrontation with Ara\u00faz after Monday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n