Jeff McNeil, Rhys Hoskins get heated during Brewers-Mets opener

NEW YORK — Even on a brand new workforce in a distinct division, it took all of 1 recreation for Rhys Hoskins to rile up the New York Mets.

Tempers flared Friday through the season opener at Citi Area when the Milwaukee Brewers’ newcomer — who agitated the Mets throughout his days with the NL East rival Phillies — slid exhausting into second baseman Jeff McNeil on a possible double-play ball within the eighth inning.

“Only a late slide. We have had slightly little bit of a previous, so I knew there was an opportunity that he’d be coming in like that,” McNeil mentioned after Milwaukee’s 3-1 victory. “Did not like his slide. I wasn’t making an attempt to show a double play in any respect. Simply making an attempt to catch the ball. There was no want to interrupt it up.”

McNeil was visibly indignant after the play, gesturing and yelling down at Hoskins because the Milwaukee slugger was on the bottom. Hoskins acquired up and headed for the Brewers’ dugout, however each benches and bullpens spilled onto the sphere.

Hoskins mentioned he stored his cleats down on the slide, and he thought McNeil overreacted.

“I am simply making an attempt to play baseball, proper?” Hoskins mentioned. “The very last thing I wish to do is give them a transparent lane to make a double play. So, a sure somebody took — McNeil took (exception) to my slide, however I did not actually assume a lot of it, to be trustworthy. I ended up hitting him, however that is what occurs with a slow-developing play.”

The groups stayed separated and there was no pushing and shoving, although Hoskins rubbed his eyes as if to name McNeil a crybaby, and McNeil cursed at Hoskins from throughout the diamond.

“A couple of alternative phrases. However, , I’ve performed on this ballpark a bunch, and he simply appears to be complaining when issues aren’t going nicely and I feel that is type of a kind of moments,” Hoskins mentioned. “Possibly misplaced within the warmth of the sport slightly bit. However once more, I feel it was simply taking part in the sport exhausting and taking part in the sport the proper method.”

Even earlier than Hoskins hit McNeil’s leg, McNeil bobbled the ball as he tried to switch it to his throwing hand following third baseman Brett Baty’s low throw. So there was no relay to first.

“He is had some fairly questionable slides at second base, for certain,” McNeil mentioned. “Positively keep in mind some up to now that have been undoubtedly not OK. So I knew there was a risk that may occur. And it did.”

Hoskins mentioned after the play, he initially stayed down within the grime to let McNeil vent.

“I type of like laid there afterward. A few guys mentioned, I believed possibly you harm your self. However I used to be simply type of letting no matter McNeil wanted to get out, let him get it out,” Hoskins mentioned. “And I simply type of ran off the sphere after that, and acquired to see all people on the workforce on the market.”

Hoskins and the Mets have had points earlier than. New York reliever Jacob Rhame threw up and in on Hoskins a few instances in 2019, and the slugger took 34 seconds to trot across the bases on a house run in opposition to the Mets.

Hoskins missed final season with Philadelphia due to a knee damage, then signed a $34 million, two-year contract with Milwaukee in January to change into the workforce’s new first baseman.

“You get a man who misses a yr and that is horrible to see. And you then go proper again and attempt to put a spike into somebody’s leg. It is robust,” McNeil mentioned. “Do not wish to want damage on anybody. It is robust seeing him miss a yr. Felt extraordinarily unhealthy once I noticed him go down. Only a robust circumstance there.”

The Mets challenged the play for a slide violation, however the name stood following a replay assessment.

“It is a late slide. Clearly, we did not prefer it, Jeff did not prefer it, nevertheless it’s authorized,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned. “He held onto the bottom and it is thought of authorized. Apparently there’s some historical past there between them, too, and that is what acquired Jeff heated there.”

Requested if he thought the slide was clear or soiled, McNeil mentioned: “It was a authorized slide, so I simply wish to depart it at that.”

McNeil additionally mentioned he isn’t searching for any retribution the remainder of the weekend.

“I hope not. I do not need this to be one thing,” he mentioned. “I simply wish to exit and play good baseball and attempt to win the sequence.”