Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo was unavailable to pitch on Friday night, and he has a bizarre reason why.
Bastardo apparently was ticked off after allowing three runs (two charged to starter Cole Hamels) in relief against the Twins on Wednesday. The reliever took out his frustration on a squat machine, and Philly.com’s Matt Gelb says the squat machine “returned the favor,” whatever that means.
Bastardo reportedly ended up with a cut over his left eye, and the eye was nearly swollen shut on Friday.
So that’s why he couldn’t pitch and why he may need a few more days to recover. The good news for Bastardo is that at least he’s now in the same category as Bryce Harper when it comes to self-inflicted injuries.
