Dom Smith and José Alvarado exchange words after strikeout, a breakdown

May 2, 2021 429.6K views 3:20
MLB 2021

What Happened

The scene unfolds in a tense late-inning matchup between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. It's the top of the 8th inning, with the Phillies holding a narrow one-run lead. Mets outfielder Dominic "Dom" Smith steps to the plate against Phillies reliever José Alvarado, with runners on base and the game hanging in the balance. The history between these two players adds extra emotion to the moment. In a previous game, Alvarado had thrown a pitch dangerously close to Mets outfielder Michael Conforto's head, leading to a benches-clearing incident. Now, as Alvarado delivers his pitches, Smith can be seen on the bench voicing his displeasure, telling Alvarado to "get it down" and not throw so high and tight. Alvarado responds angrily, shouting at Smith to "shut up" and "leave me alone." The tension escalates as Alvarado spikes a pitch in the dirt, allowing the runners to advance and putting the tying run on third base. The at-bat reaches a full count, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown. As Alvarado delivers the payoff pitch, Smith takes a called third strike. Frustrated, Smith turns to the umpire and calmly asks, "Was that in the zone?" But Alvarado is not done, continuing to shout at Smith, who seems confused and unsure of what Alvarado is saying, as the pitcher is speaking in Spanish. The benches begin to clear, with Mets pitcher Trevor May, wearing a hoodie, making his way to the front of the scrum. Alvarado's teammate, Jeurys Familia, is also seen at the forefront of the confrontation. Smith later comments that he is unsure of the exact details of the exchange, as he does not speak Spanish fluently, but he suggests that Alvarado can "meet [him] in the tunnel" if he has a real problem. The incident highlights the ongoing tension between the two teams and the heightened emotions that can arise in the heat of a close game. It serves as a reminder that even the smallest on-field interactions can quickly escalate, as players and coaches alike become invested in the outcome and the competitive nature of the sport.

Full Transcript

Click timestamps to jump to that moment

close game philly's mats dom smith steps

to the plate

alvarado is on the bump they got a

little bit of a history because alvarado

threw