Sometimes an argument over a hit-by-pitch might be about more than just a hit-by-pitch.
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor and Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, who are former teammates, got into it during the sixth inning of Sunday’s game, a 6-5 Guardians win.
The fun began when Naylor stuck an elbow out against Guardians reliever Tim Herrin. Under the strict letter of the MLB rulebook, a batter must attempt to get out of a pitch’s way to be granted a HBP, but it’s rarely enforced that way.
Hedges clearly didn’t like the call and said as much, prompting Naylor to yell “You f***ing loser,” per the lip-readers at Jomboy, and later make a wanking motion at him. Hedges’ response: “No one likes you. Literally nobody likes you.”
Naylor was later seen saying “Do something about it” to Hedges at the end of the inning.
Naylor and Hedges played four full seasons together on the Guardians and San Diego Padres, most recently in 2024 before Naylor got traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks then the Mariners, who re-signed him last offseason.
That was one part of an eventful game, in which the Mariners scored more than three runs for the first time since June 12, blew the lead in a five-run eighth inning for Cleveland, then came up one run short in the ninth.
Naylor went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the third inning, while Hedges went 1-for-2 before getting lifted for Patrick Bailey in the bottom of the sixth.
The win keeps the 44-40 Guardians even with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central, while the 42-43 Mariners are a half-game back from the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.
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