The Red Sox and Yankees had an actual baseball fight Wednesday. Benches cleared for the second time after Joe Kelly plunked Tyler Austin in the back with a 98 mph fastball, prompting the biggest melee between the two rivals since Pedro Martinez threw down Don Zimmer in the 2003 ALCS.
Suspensions will probably be handed to both Kelly and Austin, who threw punches in the brawl. Fines could be issued as well. Though Rob Manfred and his lieutenants were undoubtedly grinning once the action started –– in case you haven't heard, the Sox-Yankees rivalry is back –– the commissioner's office will be forced to come down hard on the offending parties. Publicly, MLB must be against fighting.
Benches clear, punches thrown in Yankees-Red Sox after Tyler Austin is hit by a pitch from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/wvqoak8QMV
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2018But that doesn't mean we can't embrace it. There were numerous heroes and zeroes from the early-season altercation (we need a better name for it). The list is below:
Heroes
Joe Kelly: Austin's slide into second base in the third inning, which cleared the benches for the first time, was far from the dirtiest action that's ever occurred on a baseball diamond. But he did go into Brock Holt with his spikes up, which clearly agitated the shortstop. Kelly was standing up for his teammate.
Last season, the stench from the Red Sox' lack of response to the Manny Machado episode lingered for several weeks. Kelly was ensuring that kind of passivity wouldn't happen this year, even if his beanball was a bit of an overreaction.
Plus, Kelly also gave the Red Sox their new rallying cry. "Let's go!"
Joe Kelly saying "let's go" is my new spirit animal pic.twitter.com/KKXVXqxUHj
— Red (@SurvivingGrady) April 12, 2018Tyler Austin: It's been suggested Austin should have taken his medicine and walked to first base after getting drilled with a 98 mph heater. That's baloney. The Yankees' designated hitter has a right to stand up for himself, and that's exactly what he did.
Aaron Judge: Every brawl needs a peacemaker. Judge, who stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 285 pounds, played that role to perfection.
Aaron Judge with the greatest headlock in MLB history since Nolan Ryan pic.twitter.com/5NZRrVUvct
— Jesse Foster (@Jesse__Foster) April 12, 2018Although, his interests may have been comprised. The slugger was once photographed wearing a Red Sox shirt.
CC Sabathia: Sabathia is on the disabled list with a right hip injury. But that didn't stop the burly left-handed from playing a big role in the fracas. Still dressed in his warmup jacket, Sabathia took on both Mitch Moreland and Chris Sale.
CC Sabathia absolutely destroyed Mitch Moreland and Chris Sale. Absolute legend. pic.twitter.com/6VhUdHibU4
— Bronx Cathedral (@BronxCathedral) April 12, 2018Carlos Febles: The Red Sox' third base coach took a couple of right hands from Austin, and stayed in the game until the end. Warrior.
15 years ago @45PedroMartinez threw @Yankees coach Don Zimmer to the ground. Tonight, Tyler Austin got his revenge on @RedSox third base coach Carlos Febles. pic.twitter.com/95dJCOrLkx
— John T. McMicken III (@JmickSports) April 12, 2018Phil Nevin: Nevin, who serves as the Yankees' third base coach, got ejected from the contest as well. After the game, he provided a refreshingly blunt self-assessment about his appearance on the field.
"I know one thing. I'm going to wear less layers tomorrow, because geez, I look fat with a sweatshirt under my jersey," he said. "I'll be freezing, but I don't want to look like that on the field anymore."
After all the chaos, Yankees 3B coach Phil Nevin says he's going with less layers from now on cause he looked fat on camera ----pic.twitter.com/3o23Un8o2t
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) April 12, 2018Zeroes
Christian Vazquez: It's the catcher's responsibility to hold back a hitter from charging the mound. Vazquez failed miserably in that regard. Jason Varitek was probably crying on his couch.
Tyler Austin: Yes, it's possible to be a hero and a zero. No rational human being can blame Austin for charging the mound. But he went after Febles, who had nothing to do with the beaning. That's weak.
