After Wednesday’s game between the Orioles and Red Sox, Baltimore general manager Dan Duquette implied the Orioles play the game the “right way.”
During the game, Orioles starting pitcher Kevin Gausman was ejected after hitting Xander Bogaerts with an offspeed pitch that appeared to get away from him. The ejection was so controversial that even the Boston broadcast thought it was a poor decision by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook.
Following the game, Duquette referenced an incident between the two teams from two years ago and said the Orioles did not retaliate by throwing at Boston players. He continued to say such actions are not encouraged within the organization.
Dan Duquette on what has been transpiring here: pic.twitter.com/Bqouzx7NT9
— Jon Meoli (@JonMeoli) May 3, 2017
On Tuesday, Manny Machado had a pitch thrown at him by Chris Sale, which prompted the Orioles third baseman to go on a profanity laced tirade after the game in which he declared he is tired of being thrown at. That came one day after Machado hit a monster home run and was very slow to round the bases afterward.
The Orioles and Red Sox, already division rivals, have seen the intensity in their games increase this season. And while some in the stadium on Wednesday may feel Gausman hitting Bogaerts was in response to Machado being thrown at, that likely was not the case.
If a pitcher is trying to send a message, they don’t do it with a 77-mph curve. Just in case some aren’t buying it, Dan Duquette is here to let everyone know that’s not how the Orioles operate.
