Girardi and Segura have confrontation
It was a Sunday afternoon to forget for the Philadelphia Phillies who found themselves down 8-0 by the end of the third inning. Ultimately they would put some runs on the board to make the result more respectable, but still lost the game 10-8 and the three-game series 2-1.
Despite a rather embarrassing outing from Phillies’ starting pitcher Chase Anderson, the biggest talking point following the game was a confrontation that television cameras caught between Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi and second baseman Jean Segura. The 31-year-old committed two errors during the game, including one in the first inning.
“That’s a bench conversation, meant for the bench,” said Girardi, via ESPN. “You can ask all you want; you got everything you’re going to get about it. I’m done with it.”
According to ESPN, at one point Segura even had to be restrained by coach Dusty Wathan.
“I didn’t actually see it,” Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins said of the incident when asked about it by reporters, via ESPN. “Obviously, I heard it. It’s heat-of-the-moment stuff, right. We’re all competing. Everybody in the dugout wants to win the same amount. Sometimes that’s what happens.”
It remains to be seen what the aftermath of the incident will be, but the organization has been downplaying the incident since it transpired on Sunday afternoon.
The Phillies started the game without superstar right fielder Bryce Harper after he left Saturday evening’s game against the Blue Jays early due to shoulder soreness. However, Harper replaced Scott Kingery in the outfield in the sixth inning managing two appearances at the plate. Harper popped out with a bunt attempt in the sixth before being struck out in the ninth inning to end the game.
“I was concerned,” Girardi said. “Talked about some different things. I talked to Bryce – he said he wanted to try and he was OK, so we let him do it. I trust the player. I thought he had some swings.”
The Phillies now sit at 21-20 as they prepare to take on the Miami Marlins in a three-game series starting on Tuesday evening. The club haven’t made the playoffs since 2011 and are desperate to get back to the postseason.
Toronto on the other hand, has been flying high lately improving their record to 22-17 as they continue to battle it out in the difficult American League East division. Free agent signing Marcus Semien continues to impress as well, putting up three hits, three RBIs and a home run on Sunday against the Phillies.
“I feel comfortable with what I’m doing mechanically,” Semien said. “That’s always good when you don’t have to worry about changing something every day. You’re just able to focus on what you’re looking for at the plate.”
The Phillies and Blue Jays will not cross paths again this season, but could potentially play each other in the World Series if they both manage to get there. The last time the Blue Jays won the World Series was back in 1993 when they beat the Phillies four games to two.
