Madison Bumgarner’s short fuse was on full display during a game against the Dodgers. On just the second pitch of the game, he didn’t get a borderline strike call and immediately started jawing at the umpire. He insisted it was “right where I want it,” and to be fair, it was close. The very next pitch landed in almost the same spot and was called a strike, possibly nudged by Bumgarner’s early outburst. The tension never cooled off. Bumgarner kept chirping, saying things like “I’ll just call the game myself,” and made it clear he wasn’t pleased.
Then came Max Muncy. Bumgarner got ahead in the count with a couple of solid pitches, but then missed his spot badly with a fastball inside. Muncy crushed it deep into McCovey Cove, launching the ball past the kayaks. As Muncy rounded first, Bumgarner kept barking, telling him to run and stop staring. Muncy, not backing down, fired back with a calm, perfect line: “Go get the ball out of the water.” The moment wasn’t over the top, but Bumgarner’s intensity turned it into a scene. Even the ump had to play peacemaker between the pitcher and hitter. It’s clear Muncy got the last word and the last laugh. Bumgarner’s inability to let up made him look petty and out of step, like a guy out of place in today’s game.