"You might as well pop him while you're right there" - Dodgers star Max Muncy reflects on viral Mets-Brewers bench-clearing incident
Max Muncy, an infielder who has played second base as well as many others, saw the viral incident between the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. Rhys Hoskins came sliding in aggressively to break up the throw, contacting Jeff McNeil in the process. It sparked a benches clearing incident that didn't end quickly.
It's a situation that Muncy understands well with his own experience and with his knowledge of the game. He offered up one response option, and it's one more suited to hockey than baseball:
"Look, the slide was what it was. Whether it was dirty or clean, that's for everybody else to decide... The reaction was interesting to me. I feel like if you're going to go through that much animation, to have that kind of reaction, you might as well just pop him right there. Instead of letting the benches clear and then this turns into a big ordeal. Might as well just get it over with right there."
The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox had an incident like this last year when Jose Ramirez punched Tim Anderson, and the issue resolved itself a little sooner than it otherwise might have.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star went on to say that the alternative is to talk it out, likely aggressively, between the players and be done, knowing that a pitch is coming Hoskins way:
"Or you just say a quick word, let it be done and know that his next at bat, there's probably going to be one coming at him. I think Hoskins knew that... when the ball went behind Hoskins, there wasn't too much of an overreaction from him... Just say your piece and move on."
Hoskins was thrown at after the incident, and it resulted in some penalties for players.
What happened between Jeff McNeil and Rhys Hoskins?
Rhys Hoskins used to play for the Philadelphia Phillies, who were rivals with the Mets. That means he and Jeff McNeil have had some battles over the years, and it boiled over last weekend.
Hoskins slide over the base and right into McNeil's leg on the transfer of the ball on a double play attempt. McNeil angrily gestured at him and started yelling. Hoskins calmly left, but his teammates exited the dugout. The two sides had to be separated, with Hoskins yelling back and forth with McNeil from the dugout.