"I was kinda busting him up a little bit" - Alex Verdugo sheds light on viral reaction after Orioles hit two Yankees hitters
The New York Yankees took an early advantage in their three-game series against division rivals Baltimore Orioles with a 4-2 win on Tuesday. But it wasn't a pleasant outing for the Bronx Bombers, as two Yankees hitters were on the receiving end of hit-by-pitch incidents.
In the third inning, Yankees captain Aaron Judge was first hit on his left hand by Albert Suarez's fastball. He left the game for scans. Later, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres was hit by Keegan Akin's pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo wasn't pleased one bit after another Yankees player got hit by a pitch. He was seen mouthing off Orioles players from the dugout.
Verdugo's expletive-filled reaction against the opposing team caught the attention of the fans. However, the former Red Sox star clarified that he was just having some fun with Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.
"Me and Mount, we're boys. So I was kind of like busting him up a little bit, just messing around with him," Verdugo said post-game.
Verdugo continued, saying he believes it wasn't intentional by the Orioles pitchers:
"We don't take what happened lightly. These are our guys and, obviously, captains. It's a big one for us. None of us are too pleased about it, but at the same time, I don't believe it was intentional. A couple pitches got away from their guys."
Yankees avert major blow to red-hot Aaron Judge
Alex Verdugo's reaction seems valid, especially if you take into account the red-hot slugging form of Yankees captain Aaron Judge over the past four weeks. Judge left the game early after being hit in the third inning but revealed that he had escaped any major damage to his hand.
However, it is likely the Yankees captain will be rested for a few games, like his teammate Juan Soto earlier this month, to ensure that Judge doesn't aggravate his injury.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone reciprocated the concern in his post-game comments:
“Lots to be excited about in that win, but obviously concern for the captain. We will see what we got and hopefully we avoided something."
While the Yankees could potentially lose their captain for a few games, they are expected to welcome back talismanic pitcher Gerrit Cole. The reigning AL Cy Young winner is expected to make his season debut against the Orioles on Wednesday.