As expected, Major League Baseball has elected to issue suspensions for what essentially cleared the benches during Wednesday's game between Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.
MLB handed out a three-game suspension and a fine to Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki for hitting Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch during the eighth inning of Wednesday's game. Borucki will appeal the multi-game suspension. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo was also fined for the incident and issued a mere one-game suspension.
MLB announces Blue Jays LHP Ryan Borucki has been suspended three games and fined for hitting Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch in the eighth inning of yesterday's game. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo also received a one-game suspension and a fine.
Borucki will appeal
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) September 23, 2021
Tensions between the two teams have been brewing since Monday, when Kiermaier picked up a card belonging to Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk after being tagged out at home plate. The card contains key information on the Blue Jays' pitching game plan against the Rays.
The Blue Jays are not happy.
Last night in the 6th, Kevin Kiermaier slid into home plate and grabbed a card (video here). That card, I'm told, was from Alejandro Kirk's wrist band that fell out on the tag.
On the card: the Blue Jays' game plan on pitching to Rays' hitters. pic.twitter.com/wjjuYd3Bhk
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 21, 2021
Toronto was far from pleased with Kiermaier electing to not give back the card, and thus, Borucki took matters into his own hands by hitting the center fielder with a pitch during Wednesday's game between the two teams. Borucki was subsequently ejected from the game.
On Monday, Kevin Kiermaier picked up a card with the Blue Jays game plan and the Rays reportedly refused to give it back.
Today, the Jays hit Kiermaier with a pitch and the benches cleared.
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/FCfdgUJsTA
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 22, 2021
Toronto manager Montoyo noted after the suspension was announced by MLB that it is simply time to “move on” from the incident.
“I got suspended and we need to move on.” @BlueJays’ Charlie Montoyo addresses his suspension after Ryan Borucki hit Rays' Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch during last night's game. #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/MsQI9NUOGl
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 23, 2021
The Blue Jays and Rays will not meet again in the regular season this year, but there is always a chance that the two can meet come postseason time. Tampa Bay is on the verge of clinching yet another AL East title, while Toronto currently sits at a mere 0.5 games back of the New York Yankees for the second wild-card spot in the AL.
After years of being apparent friendly rivals with each other in the AL East, this has all changed now following this ‘card stealing' incident.
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