Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera couldn’t keep it under control.
On Friday, while trying to close out St. Louis’ eventual 7-3 win over the Reds, the reliever allowed two singles in the ninth inning to put Cincinnati in the position of a potential comeback, and in the hot seat with his manager.
As Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol removed Cabrera for Ryan Hesley, who closed out the win, the 25-year-old slammed a ball against the mound in frustration. Marmol wrapped his arms around the reliever, exchanging words with Cabrera before he walked back with his head down to the dugout.
Marmol said after the victory a group of Cardinals players will “address” the reliever’s behavior. Cabrera later said he would apologize to both Marmol and his teammates for his meltdown.
“He’s a little frustrated with how the last couple of days have gone,” Marmol told reporters Friday. “At the same time, your ego can’t get in the way of being a professional. I’ve known him a long time, he’ll be just fine.”
Even with the interaction, the Cardinals manager defended Cabrera, whose pitching has helped St. Louis at a 50-44 record, good enough for a National League wild-card spot before the All-Star break.
“The kid’s a competitor, he wants to be in there,” Marmol added. “You can’t fault him for that.”