© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Rays' Kiermaier Calls Hit-By-Pitch a 'Weak Move,' Stirs Up Rivalry with Blue Jays
Emotions are high during hotly contested September baseball games, and in Wednesday's matchup between the Blue Jays and Rays, things boiled over.
Blue Jays lefty Ryan Borucki was ejected in the eighth inning after drilling Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier in the back with a fastball, prompting benches to clear.
Both Kiermaier and Rays manager Kevin Cash said they felt Borucki's actions were intentional. Kiermaier called the hit-by-pitch a "weak move," per Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, while Borucki claimed it was an accident.
"I missed arm-side," Borucki said. "I miss arm-side a lot; I pitch inside all the time."
This fiasco comes after Monday's events, where Kiermaier picked up a scouting card that fell off the wristband of Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk and handed it to a Tampa Bay coach.
After Tuesday's game, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo called the incident "agua under the bridge," and appeared to squash the beef. Yet tempers flared on Wednesday, resulting in the ejection of Borucki and Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker, who got the hook after arguing with umpire Joe West.
"What tells you about everything was Pete's reaction," Montoyo said. "Because we didn't want to use another pitcher. That's why Pete was so upset."
The season series between these two teams is over, though it's possible Toronto and Tampa meet again in the ALDS. Should the Blue Jays get that far, expect some extra fire from their opponents.
"I hope we play those guys, I really do." Kiermaier said, according to Sportsnet's Arash Madani. "The motivation is there, that's all that needs to be said."
