Major League Baseball's Twitter account shared video of Javier Báez's walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Chicago Cubs' 6-5 win against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field with the caption, "Javy called game."
Báez taunted Reds relief pitcher Amir Garrett, shouted at him and threw his bat toward Garrett as he headed toward first base - after he shouted at Garrett while getting into the batter's box at the start of the plate appearance.
Bally Sports Ohio studio analyst and former Reds pitcher Sam LeCure said he would be surprised if warnings aren't issued by umpires before the start of Tuesday's game.
"I feel like that's showing up (the opponent) to the umpteenth degree," LeCure said after the game on Bally Sports Ohio. "I mean, if you're gonna do your little rock or your bat flip, like that's kinda one thing. Like immediately just disregarding everything else that's going on in the complete state of just to have this kind of one-on-one with this guy right there - him and Amir - like I mean that's just all about (Báez). That has nothing to do with the team right there. Be excited that you won the game. That's cool enough. You just walked-off in a big-league game. Now you're gonna go after this monster on the mound - and like create some fight? ... I don't know. I don't think that's very cool.
"Somebody's trying to show me up like that on the field and then gives me a weapon, I'd be prone to maybe pick it up and go hit him in the kneecap with it."
In May, Báez was not suspended for his role in a benches-clearing incident against the Reds despite climbing over a dugout railing onto the field and appearing to challenge Garrett to a fight at the outset of a skirmish between the teams during the eighth inning. Garrett was suspended for five games.
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