The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays’ series has been marred by controversy. On Tuesday, the Yankees’ starting pitcher Domingo German was ejected from the game after completing three innings on accusations of applying foreign substances to the ball, potentially leading to a 10-game suspension.
However, on Monday, the Blue Jays suspected Yankees’ heavy hitter Aaron Judge and the entire team of sign stealing, given that the reigning MVP glanced towards the dugout just before hitting a significant home run off pitcher Jay Jackson, his second of the game.
Although Jackson subsequently admitted he may have inadvertently revealed his pitches, the Blue Jays remained displeased with what they perceived to be the Yankees’ tactics, despite Judge clarifying that he was looking at his dugout in response to his teammates’ comments towards the umpire.
The Yankees ought to tread cautiously:
Nevertheless, certain individuals appear to be overstepping boundaries. On Tuesday, commentators on the Blue Jays broadcast suggested ‘sending a message’ to Judge by deliberately aiming a pitch at his head, an idea that is not only reckless but also irresponsible and hazardous.
Even if the Yankees had capitalized on the Jays’ pitcher’s tipping of pitches (an action that, while not illegal, is generally disapproved), the appropriate response is not ‘sending a message’ or intentionally hitting a player. The solution lies in improving pitch management and delivery to prevent the opposing team from gaining any insight. The league introduced PitchCom for this purpose, but it cannot shield a pitcher from his own mistakes.
As the Yankees and Blue Jays conclude their series, it is hoped that the situation does not escalate further. Broadcasters ought to exercise greater responsibility in their commentary as their words could potentially incite dangerous behavior. Violence is never the solution and should not be promoted under any circumstances.