Yasiel Puig and Madison Bumgarner tangled Monday night for the third time since May 2014, and their confrontation played a role in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the San Francisco Giants.
After exchanging words with Puig at the end the of the seventh inning, Bumgarner was pinch-hit for with one out in the eighth inning. He’d held the Dodgers to just one hit and had 10 strikeouts on 97 pitches.
The Giants bullpen managed to throw a perfect eighth inning, but they failed to record an out in the ninth as Los Angeles strung together four consecutive hits, capped off by Adrian Gonzalez’s walk-off double.
The exchange between Bumgarner and Puig naturally was a major talking point after the game. Puig expressed confusion over the matter, while Bumgarner deflected responsibility.
To a man, the Dodgers defended their mercurial outfielder and said Bumgarner was responsible for the situation escalating.
Dave Roberts
“All I know is Yasiel took a check-swing, ran hard down the baseline, and didn’t say a thing. He heard something from Bumgarner, and responded. I know our guy didn’t initiate anything.”
Adrian Gonzalez
“Yasiel didn’t do anything. I don’t know what was said on the other side but if [Bumgarner] just keeps walking to the dugout, nothing happens. If everybody does what they’re supposed to do, there’s no benches clearing.”
“Apparently he had something against Yasi. That’s his problem, not ours. We were all just wondering what the heck happened. Then we went to the video and saw Yasi didn’t say a word. They’re trying to spark themselves up or something.”
Clayton Kershaw
“It was definitely intense. That wasn’t Puig’s fault. It kind of looked like [Bumgarner] was saying don’t look at him. We all know Bum is pretty intense out there, but he definitely stirred the fire on that one. He was asking for it. I don’t know what he expected to happen. There’s always going to be a lot of talking and not a lot of action.”
“I was finishing working out. It’s probably the first one I’ve never run out for. I didn’t have time to get my clothes back on to run out there. Not that I was going to start anything. It’s an intense game, intense competitors, stuff is going to happen. But I don’t think our guy did anything wrong.”
Justin Turner
“Those two I think like each other a lot. They probably go out to breakfast every morning they’re in town. There always seems to be something going on between those two. It makes it fun, though. It makes you stay on your toes, it makes the game exciting.”
“Like I said, there’s a history between those two. I guess, looking at someone or staring in their direction, might offend some people.”
