Mets-Cardinals brawl erupts after Nolan Arenado loses it as plunking tensions explode
The Mets have clearly had enough of getting plunked by opposing pitchers, and tensions boiled over Wednesday afternoon.
After yet another Mets hitter got hit by a pitch — J.D. Davis left the game in the eighth inning after being hit in the left ankle — a brawl broke out between the Mets and Cardinals in St. Louis when Mets reliever Yoan Lopez retaliated by throwing high and inside at Nolan Arenado.
Arenado first nodded in acknowledgement then started screaming toward Lopez, and both benches and bullpens quickly cleared. A large huddle of pushing and shoving developed and some players were wrestled to the ground. Arenado, who shoved Tomas Nido before charging toward the mound, was ejected from the game. Pete Alonso was taken down by Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp.
The Cardinals won the game 10-5.
Asked if Arenado’s reaction was out of line, Mets manager Buck Showalter said, “I’ll let them handle their players. I know our player got hit in the head and went to first base,” referencing Alonso getting beaned the night before. It was the second time this season Alonso got hit in the helmet.
The Mets have been hit by pitches 19 times this season, which leads MLB. Three Mets were hit Tuesday night.
The plunkings had Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt railing about the baseballs afterward.
“The MLB has a very big problem with the baseballs — they are bad,” Bassitt said. “Everyone knows it. Every pitcher in the league knows it. MLB doesn’t give a damn about it. They don’t care. We have told them our problems with them, they don’t care.”
