Willson Contreras got fired up in the second inning of a Cubs game after a pitch he thought was a ball got called a strike. He exchanged words with the home plate umpire, and catcher Tyler Flowers appeared to chime in. No one could read exactly what was said, but Contreras clearly didn’t like it. On the very next pitch, he crushed a home run and stared right back at Flowers while rounding the bases, letting him know the bat did the talking. As he crossed home plate, he sent a few choice words Flowers’ way, visibly heated and animated.
Things escalated from there. Contreras kept jawing, not just at Flowers but eventually at Braves pitcher Aaron Bummer and others in the opposing dugout. Bummer responded, seeming confused about what the problem was. Benches cleared, but no punches flew. Most players seemed more puzzled than aggressive. Contreras looked like he had a message to send and made sure everyone heard it. Flowers appeared surprised, saying he was just laughing at Contreras’ reaction after the strike call. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo tried to mediate, unsure what exactly set things off. Whatever it was, Contreras made a statement with both his bat and his mouth.