Royals, D-Backs get heated after Witt takes HBP while going for cycle
The temperature got turned up between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Arizona fell behind big early, largely thanks to the play of Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The superstar ripped extra-base hits in each of his first three at-bats, punctuated by a long three-run homer in the fourth that broke the game open.
Bobby Witt Jr. is a single shy of the cycle ... in the 4th inning. 👀 pic.twitter.com/5huSflhLBD
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2024
Witt came up in the sixth with eyes on a cycle. Instead, he was hit up-and-in by Humberto Castellanos' first pitch, which immediately drew the Royals' ire. As Witt took his base, catcher Salvador Perez screamed at Castellanos from the on-deck circle.
Bobby Witt Jr. gets plunked just a single shy of the cycle
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 23, 2024
The Royals and their fans were NOT happy pic.twitter.com/CEKDjjlJEP
With two out in the top of the seventh, D-Backs catcher Gabriel Moreno was hit by Royals reliever John Schreiber. Although the HBP came on the fourth pitch of the at-bat, umpires elected to warn both benches in light of Witt being hit earlier. The warnings infuriated D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo, who got into a heated exchange with Perez after being ejected.
The Royals retaliated for the Diamondbacks hitting Bobby Witt Jr. and the umps warned both dugouts
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 23, 2024
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was HEATED and got ejected, Salvador Perez had some strong words in the exchange too pic.twitter.com/2m1lr9djfn
Lovullo insisted postgame that his team didn't intentionally throw at Witt, saying he wanted Perez to hear that from him during his tirade.
"What I said (to home plate umpire Jordan Baker) was, if you think in your right mind that I was gonna ask our team, or my team, to hit the future of Major League Baseball, one of the best players in Major League Baseball, you're crazy. And you've lost control of the situation, and you got it wrong," the D-Backs skipper said. "That's exactly what I said to Jordan Baker, and I wanted Salvy to hear that."
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo explains what led up to his ejection, including on-the-field comments to #Royals catcher Salvador Perez.
— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) July 23, 2024
The ejection came after the Diamondbacks and Royals hit batters with pitches in back-to-back innings, one with Bobby Witt Jr. near a cycle. pic.twitter.com/dzQW8VWUMn
Witt got one more chance at the cycle in the eighth inning but flew out to right field. Overall, though, his 3-for-4 night continued what's been a red-hot stretch since the All-Star break. The 24-year-old, a finalist in last week's Home Run Derby, has rapped out 12 hits in the Royals' first four games out of the break.
A Royals player hasn't hit for the cycle since Hall of Famer George Brett did it in 1990.
The Royals beat Arizona 10-4 for their 56th win of the season, matching last year's total. They've now won eight of their previous 10 contests.