Tim Anderson’s first at-bat of the series against the Royals didn’t last long. On the second pitch he saw, a changeup hit him in the head. Umpires immediately ejected the pitcher, likely because of the history between Anderson and Kansas City. Anderson was furious, arguing that hitting someone with a changeup makes no sense. Royals catcher Martin Maldonado also lost it, yelling that it wasn’t intentional. Ned Yost, who’s seen plenty, backed that sentiment, pointing out no one tries to hit a guy with a slow off-speed pitch.
The disconnect came down to history more than intent. Another umpire even hinted they were told to eject someone if things escalated. That fed the idea that the ejection wasn’t about the pitch type, but pre-existing bad blood. Looking at the pitcher’s previous throws, everything had been under control. He was living low in the zone and finishing at-bats with 94 mph fastballs. This changeup was the only pitch that missed high, which made some wonder if it was a setup. Still, most of his recent changeups were well located. The apology from the pitcher seemed genuine. He immediately pointed at his hand and mouthed “sorry.”
The crowd caught on fast. One fan’s animated reaction was caught on camera as soon as Anderson got tossed, clapping and wide-eyed. Even though it was only a 0-0 game in the early innings, the emotion was high. Anderson looked frustrated, Maldonado was fired up, and the umpires looked like they came in with a clear game plan: don’t let things get out of control. Whether the pitch was intentional or not, the league’s approach to handling lingering beef was on full display.