A Pirates pitcher delivered a response Wednesday to Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo's hotly debate slide from two days earlier. That pitcher did it, in all places, on the basepaths.
Bucs starter Joe Musgrove slid through the second-base bag and into the legs of second baseman Javier Baez during a force play in the third inning. Musgrove had reached on a single.
Baez was not pleased, and he told Musgrove that.
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The ensuing conversation drew everyone off the benches and bullpens and into the middle of the diamond. Not much happened after that.
Per MLB.com, umpires ruled that Musgrove's slide was not subject to video review because they determined Baez was not attempting to turn a double play.
Musgrove apparently was responding to Rizzo's slide Monday into Pirates catcher Elias Diaz as Diaz was trying to turn two at home plate. Rizzo slid into Diaz's feet, causing the catcher to make an errant throw that allowed two runs to score.
UPDATE: More than "apparently" . . .
Joe Musgrove, on his slide and the play at second base... pic.twitter.com/Sbc2gZkZaB
— Adam Berry (@adamdberry) May 31, 2018
Umpires ruled Rizzo's slide legal, but Major League Baseball contradicted them Tuesday, saying Rizzo committed interference.
