“Same dude in St. Louis. But I'm not here to say he was trying to hit me or to say he wasn't trying to hit me” - Kyle Schwarber after being targeted by New York Mets reliever; pitcher suspended for 3 games alongside manager
Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber has been the subject of a decent amount of drama recently. Now, the New York Mets have found themselves imbued in a controversy involving him.
In a game against the Milwaukee Brewers last week, Kyle Schwarber was ejected by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Schwarber's ejection came after shouting at Hernandez for being called out on strikes on a borderline pitch.
Earlier in the ballgame, Schwarber had hit a two-run shot, his seventh home run and 16th RBI of the 2022 season.
Schwarber now finds himself on the opposite end of the equation after being struck by a pitch from a New York Mets reliever that was deemed intentional.
MLB suspends New York Mets pitcher and manager after pitch that hit Phillies' Kyle Schwarber deemed intentional
On Sunday, May 1, the Philadelphia Phillies were playing the New York Mets, a bitter divisional rival. With the Mets currently running away with the top spot in the division, tensions were running high.
In the top of the ninth; the writing was on the wall. The Mets were up 10-4, and the game's intensity was palpable. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning, prompting Jerry Meals, the home plate umpire, to issue a warning to both teams.
Yoan López, whose up-and-in pitch to Nolan Arenado sparked a benches-clearing melee last week in St. Louis, just got a warning for brushing back red-hot Kyle Schwarber with this pitch: https://t.co/Ly4xvDXUby
"Yoan López, whose up-and-in pitch to Nolan Arenado sparked a benches-clearing melee last week in St. Louis, just got a warning for brushing back red-hot Kyle Schwarber with this pitch:" - @ Anthony DiComo
On a 1-0 count, Mets reliever Yoan Lopez threw a pitch tight inside to Kyle Schwarber. Meals issued a final warning to Lopez as Schwarber took first base.
A batter later, it happened again. This time Lopez struck Alec Bohm high and inside. Although he was not ejected from the game, Major League Baseball has subsequently followed up with a three-game suspension for Lopez along with his manager, Buck Showalter.
Benches cleared in Mets-Cardinals after Yoan López threw up and in at Nolan Arenado.
The Mets had previously expressed concern with their players frequently getting hit by pitches. https://t.co/IiODEjGajf
"Benches cleared in Mets-Cardinals after Yoan López threw up and in at Nolan Arenado. The Mets had previously expressed concern with their players frequently getting hit by pitches." - @ ESPN
Observers are questioning Lopez's motives after the pitcher hit St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado last week, causing a bench-clearing brawl to take place.