Sports

Benches Clear During Heated Exchange Between Mets And Brewers Sparked By Controversial Slide

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Mets Brewers Fight Rhys Hoskins Slide
SNY

Major League Baseball Opening Day was rather disappointing for the New York Mets, who fell to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday after their game was postponed on Thursday. However, they showed a lot of fight.

Quite literally.

Things got heated during the top of the eighth inning which led both dugouts and bullpens to clear! It would be wrong to call it a brawl because no punches were thrown, but there was plenty of yapping.

The fiery exchange stemmed from a controversial slide by Rhys Hoskins that did not go over well with Jeff McNeil. A slide rule violation was not called even though the Mets thought it was warranted.

According to the MLB handbook, the slide rule prevents runners from initiating contact with the fielder. It does not allow for the runner to kick his leg above the fielder’s knee, throw his arm, or grab the fielder.

Hoskins slid through the bag and took out McNeil by making contact with his leg on the back end.

Whether it was with intent or not, the slide could have been was dangerous.

Fortunately, McNeil was okay. He was furious, but not injured.

As Hoskins laid on the ground, New York’s shortstop screamed down at him in anger. His reaction got both teams fired up, which led the players to spill out onto the field.

McNeil and Hoskins continued to exchange pleasantries as the pitchers jogged in from the outfield. The former had to be separated from the latter.

While the kerfuffle did not escalate to a melee, it was the first bench clearing of the new MLB season!

Baseball is more fun when tempers flare and personalities shine through. Maybe somebody will hit somebody during the next one. Fighting may not be encouraged, but we all would be lying if we said that we didn’t love a good scrap on the diamond. So long as everybody keeps their health!