In the bottom of the ninth inning, with no outs and a 0-2 count, New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes lost control of his fastball. Unfortunately, the stray pitch struck Baltimore Orioles hitter Heston Kjerstad on his batting helmet. Brandon Hyde, the Orioles manager was furious about the pitch and Kjerstad being hit. He stormed towards the Yankees dugout, prompting both teams’ benches to clear onto the field in an altercation.
Things escalated QUICKLY pic.twitter.com/n96q2wCOim
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 13, 2024
Thankfully, despite there being a massive argument, both sides refrained from throwing punches. In the aftermath, pitcher Marcus Stroman stood by Holmes and insisted that the entire incident was unintentional. Taking to Instagram, he wrote:
“That escalated quickly. Clearly unintentional by Clay. Good win for the boys. Hoping and praying Kjerstad is all good. Onto the next!”
New York manager Aaron Boone also weighed in, saying,
“Look, I understand him coming out and being hot. One of your guys gets hit like that, it’s scary. So I understand that.”
Meanwhile, New York Yankees captain, Aaron Judge added,
“I think there was just some chirping back and forth. I know we’ve gotten quite a few of their guys with hit-by-pitches. They’ve gotten us. Kind of boiled over there.”
With the Yankees in the lead and aiming for a victory, it’s highly improbable that Holmes deliberately aimed at Kjerstad. Targeting a batter’s head is a punishable move, and it wouldn’t make strategic sense when trying to win the game.
In fact, Holmes, the pitcher involved, also expressed his regret, claiming he was just trying to throw a “front-door sinker” and had no intention of hurting Kjerstad, as he said,
“You’re never trying to hit somebody in the head up high like that. I hope Heston’s OK from that. I was trying to throw up a front-door sinker there, and it just cut. The movement wasn’t my normal sinker, and [I] just kind of pulled it. … I definitely wasn’t trying to do anything and hurt him, hit him.”
Well, the Orioles have also had their fair share of hit-by-pitch incidents in the past. Back, in June, during their series at Yankee Stadium, Baltimore pitchers hit both Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres.
The recent incident with Kjerstad is believed to be a response to the Yankees hitting Gunnar Henderson, sparking a back-and-forth scenario where each team appeared to be targeting the other’s players. Unfortunately, the timing of this event, though unintentional, only adds tension.
With the Yankees trailing one game behind the Orioles in the American League East standings, every win becomes crucial. The series score can possibly decide which team enters the All-Star break as division leaders, putting pressure on every pitch thrown.
The combination of the division race and past hit-by-pitch encounters sets a nervy atmosphere. Any close call or perceived offense could easily spiral out of control as evidenced by Hyde’s reaction.
Currently, both the Yankees and the Orioles are likely to face fines for their involvement in the bench-clearing incident. Moreover, there might be an investigation by MLB into this instance of hit-by-pitches to check if any were deliberate. Well, as fate would have it, the Yankees have hit the most batters by pitch this season.
Looking ahead, it will be important for both teams to control their emotions and concentrate on playing baseball- especially as the competition in the division intensifies.
Having said that, the Yankees are missing a player to lead off their lineup. Therefore, they have been eyeing the Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. as a trade option before the MLB deadline.
Yankees Reportedly Targeting All-Star Chisholm Jr. as Trade Deadline Nears
The Yankees are interested in Chisholm Jr. due to his versatility in playing positions. Although he started his career as a baseman and shortstop, the 26-year-old made the switch to the outfield in 2023. Moreover, even while honing his skills in the outfield, he performed excellently as a defender at base, which happens to be a position that the Yankees need.
Although Chisholm Jr.’s batting average took a dip in 2024 compared to his All-Star season in 2022, he continues to pose an offensive threat. Currently, the Bahamian native is batting .255 with an on-base percentage of.324 and 12 home runs. His speed is another factor with 18 stolen bases this ongoing season.
Considering the Yankees’ desire for a leadoff hitter and improvement at shortstop positions, Chisholm Jr. could potentially address both needs. On the other hand, the Marlins may consider trading this talent to kickstart their rebuilding process.
Reports have circulated that discussions have taken place between the Yankees and Marlins regarding a trade involving Chisholm Jr. However, details regarding their level of interest and potential offerings remain unclear.
Acquiring the Marlins star would likely necessitate a package of prospects from the Yankees. Also, another question is whether the Marlins are open to trading away their up-and-coming talent.
