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Rafael Devers home run led to benches-clearing brawl between Giants and Rockies
"I just find that extremely disrespectful, and I felt that I needed to let him know about that."
Rafael Devers took a very delayed home run trot: Things have been looking up recently for former Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers. His main issue on Tuesday, at least according to Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, was that he might have looked up for a little too long.
Devers, 28, has been absolutely locked in at the plate over the last week, hitting .464 in the last seven days with five home runs (winning National League co-Player of the Week alongside fellow former Red Sox Kyle Schwarber). The Giants have also been doing well as a team, and are 9-1 over the San Francisco’s last 10 games.
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Both recent trends looked set to continue on Tuesday in the first inning against the Rockies when Devers absolutely crushed a two-run home run in the first inning off Freeland, Colorado’s starter.
But after pausing at home plate to watch his home run, Devers drew the ire of Freeland, who began shouting at him as he reached first base. Devers, who did not appear to even notice Freeland until the pitcher began yelling in his direction, turned and began responding.
Both teams quickly jumped to their respective teammates’ defenses, with a benches-clearing scuffle starting almost immediately.
Eventually, three players were ejected: Freeland, Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, and San Francisco shortstop Willy Adames.
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“Extremely disrespectful to show me up like that in the first inning after hitting a home run,” Freeland said after the game of Devers. “Standing there, watching it, taking your sweet time getting down to first base. I’ve been in this league quite some time, and I know he has as well. I just find that extremely disrespectful, and I felt that I needed to let him know about that.”
Devers, who jumped in to play third base as a result of Chapman’s ejection, said he was taken aback by Freeland’s reaction.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Devers told reporters via a translator. “I didn’t do anything different from when I hit a home run. I don’t know why it bothered him.”
Eventually, Devers was signaled by umpires to take a belated trot around the bases after the situation calmed down.
The Giants went on to win the game, 7-4. It was Colorado’s 100th loss of the season.
Trivia: Of the top five home run hitters in Giants history, two played for the team at some point during the 1990s. One was (obviously) Barry Bonds. Can you name the other?
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(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He eventually won a World Series, but playing for another National League West team.
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Some Patriots perspective: Boston Globe Patriots reporter Christopher Price weighed in on Tommy DeVito, Mike Vrabel in year one, and Patriots’ expectations in the 2025 season.
On this day: In 1995, Bill Parcells and the Patriots defeated Bill Belichick and the Browns 17-14. Having lost to Cleveland (and Belichick) in the playoffs at the end of the 1994 season, Parcells and New England gained a small measure of revenge in the ensuing opener.
Behind Matt Bahr’s third field goal of the day as well as a Curtis Martin touchdown (along with a Dave Meggett two-point conversion), New England rallied with 11 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win.
Elsewhere, Tim Wakefield allowed just one run in eight innings in an 8-1 win over the Angeles.
Daily highlight: Ceddanne Rafaela’s clutch home run to help the Red Sox win on Tuesday.
Trivia answer: Matt Williams
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