It doesn’t take much for the Boston Red Sox–New York Yankees rivalry to pick up steam.
While it hasn’t been as heated in the last few years with the Red Sox slipping in the standings, we had some spice this weekend.
The New York Post reported Monday that Major League Baseball is investigating Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s comments that seemed to suggest his team may have tried to intentionally hit Yankees star Aaron Judge with a pitch.
The incident stemmed from Saturday’s game when Yankees ace Gerrit Cole hit Red Sox star Rafael Devers in the first inning and then intentionally walked him in the fourth with the bases empty.
An angry Cora was of the belief that Cole intentionally hit Devers in the first.
When asked Sunday whether the incident was in the rear-view mirror, Cora said: “It was closed (Saturday) around the sixth inning. We had our chance. It didn’t happen.”
In that sixth inning, Brayan Bello threw a pitch behind Judge’s legs.
Cora said he spoke with Judge and Yankees manager Aaron Boone after Saturday’s game.
“It was a good convo. I’ll kind of keep it at that,” said Judge, per MLB.com. “You play this game for a while, things like that happen. I know they’re upset that three of their guys got hit that day, and I think they’re just protecting their players.
“So something’s got to happen, and that’s the way this game kind of gets policed. It’s been policed for over 100 years. So I think the biggest thing is, just don’t miss when you do it.”
Boone denied Cole was throwing at Devers.
“First of all, I would say Gerrit was not throwing at him,” said Boone. “I have a lot of respect for Alex and think he’s great at what he does. I think it’s also a manager that’s using that moment a little bit to rally his troops a little bit as they’re fighting for their playoff lives.
“They’re playing for a lot over there, and I think this is an opportunity to galvanize them a little bit. I think (there is) probably a little gamesmanship to it.”
The Yankees lost Saturday’s game 7-1, but won three of four in the series and have a three-game lead on the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.
The Red Sox are 4.5 games out o a wild-card spot.