Alek Manoah calls out Gerrit Cole over on-field incident

Mar 14, 2021; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah (75) looks on during their game against the New York Yankees at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah was quite dismissive of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole after things became tense between the two teams Sunday.

In the fifth inning of New York’s 4-2 win over Toronto, Manoah hit Aaron Judge with a pitch. Judge seemed to believe there was some intent behind the pitch, as did Cole, who took a few steps onto the field and looked ready to confront Manoah.

Manoah responded to the incident after the game by essentially calling Cole a fake tough guy. The Blue Jays pitcher suggested that if Cole had something to say to him, he should have gone past the Audi logo painted on the field in front of the dugout.

#BlueJays Alek Manoah on Gerrit Cole:

“If Gerrit wants to do something, he can walk past the Audi sign next time.”

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) August 21, 2022

“If Gerrit wants to do something, he can walk past the Audi sign next time,” Manoah said.

The umpires and even Judge defused the situation before Cole could do much of anything. Still, this probably won’t go down well with the Yankees pitcher or his teammates.

Manoah is known for his fiery and sometimes confrontational presence on the mound. This sort of response from him cannot come as a surprise.