Things got chippy between the Royals and Blue Jays on Sunday.
Tempers flared early, as Edinson Volquez hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch in the first inning and home plate umpire Jim Wolf issued warnings for both teams. Donaldson had some words for Volquez on his way to first base, and it wouldn’t be the last time in the game that the two would have a heated discussion.
Volquez went up and in on Donaldson again in the third, and the game didn’t get any less tense when Volquez exited and reliever Ryan Madson entered. Madson nailed Troy Tulowitzki with a pitch and then, again, Donaldson was faced with a pitch up near the head area. At this point, it was clear Wolf lost control of the game as no consequences resulted from the warning he issued in the first inning.
After Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez hit Alcides Escobar in the knee with a pitch, he was ejected and that’s when the benches finally cleared.
After the game, Volquez took some shots at Donaldson.
“He’s a little baby,” Volquez said per The Kansas City Star. “He was crying like a baby.”
“He got mad at everybody like he’s Barry Bonds,” Volquez continued. “He’s not Barry Bonds. He’s got three years in the league. We’ve been around longer than he has.”
Madson also criticized Donaldson for the way he handled matters.
“For him to get upset, I don’t think he fully understands the game, or he just let his emotions get the best of him,” Madson said. “He thought that a warning means you can’t throw inside.”
Suddenly, the idea of a potential Royals-Blue Jays postseason matchup became extremely enticing.
