Tensions flared between the Orioles and Blue Jays after some carryover drama from the previous night. The conflict seemed to center on former Blue Jay and current Orioles reliever Bryan Baker and Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernández. The night before, Hernández homered off Baker in a key spot and had a quiet jog around the bases. Baker didn’t like it and remembered it. When they faced off again the next day, Baker struck him out, stared into the Blue Jays dugout, and mouthed some words. That sparked chaos.
Multiple Blue Jays jumped the rail in a hurry, and tempers boiled over on both sides. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ditched his jersey and rushed out looking angry, but never got closer than a few bodies back from the action. Rougned Odor, Springer, and others tried playing peacemaker or at least held guys back to make sure nothing serious happened. Eventually, everyone was walked back, and the tension cooled.
Postgame comments didn’t clear much up. Baker said it was personal and that he shouldn’t have handled it that way. Blue Jays manager John Schneider called Baker a bad pitcher trying to show up his former team. Teoscar said he didn’t say anything during the game and was surprised it turned into a scene. Still, the dugouts emptied quickly, and the Blue Jays looked more fired up than they wanted to admit. If nothing else, the Orioles now know they live rent-free in Toronto’s head.