Royals Rumble: Manny Machado and Yordano Ventura brawl in Baltimore
When Manny Machado decided to rush the mound, he looked downright silly. When he got there to greet Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, it was a different story.
After Ventura’s fastball drilled him in the back at 99 mph, Machado left the batter’s box with a limp and a skip, discarding his bat, helmet and cap before taking a boxing stance at the mound during the fifth inning Tuesday night at Camden Yards.
Rearing back with his right hand, Machado clocked Ventura in the face, put him in a headlock and dragged him to the ground, which cleared the benches and sent ballplayers flying onto the field. Machado had already been jawing at Ventura, who was brushing back the 23-year-old shortstop with inside pitches earlier in the game.
The Royals' Ventura and the Orioles' Machado both ejected following their fight. Suspensions for both are certain to come.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) June 8, 2016After Machado and Ventura were ejected from the game, Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis hit back-to-back homers for the O’s, hyping up a home crowd already cheering Machado’s name. A suspension would end his streak of playing in 219 straight games, the longest active mark in Major League Baseball.
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The incident builds on Ventura’s bad reputation. The 25-year-old righty cleared the benches by targeting batters in three straight starts last year and according to MASN reporter Roch Kubatko, he drilled two Orioles on Sept. 15, 2015, and has been ejected three times in his career.
Manny Machado just charged the mound on Yordano Ventura. Machado is hot-tempered but Ventura loves starting brawls. Guys plays by own rules.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) June 8, 2016Baltimore center fielder Adam Jones seemed to agree with that sentiment, commenting on Ventura’s approach and even his psychological makeup after the game.
Adam Jones on Ventura: “I knew it was going 2 happen. The guy has electric stuff but between ears, there is a circuit board off balance."
— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) June 8, 2016More Jones: "He wants to be Pedro Martinez, go out there and have a damn sub 2.00. Don't go out and try to hurt somebody."
— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) June 8, 2016As several people noted on Twitter, it wasn’t the first confrontation at the mound involving a man named Ventura. In what is widely considered the manliest act in history by a starting pitcher, Nolan Ryan shut down Robin Ventura’s attempt to charge him on Aug. 4, 1993. In his 27th season, the tough Texan put Ventura in a head lock and pummeled his melon.
Considering the latest brawl as well as Rougned Odor’s recent right cross to head of Jose Bautista, violence in baseball is approaching 1970’s NBA levels.
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