How Soon Will the Boston Red Sox Plunk Manny Machado in Today’s Game?

When Manny Machado slid spikes first into Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia last night, he ignited a fire under the newest AL East rivalry.

Manny Machado made a dirty slide into second base last night as his Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia went down hard after Machado spiked him in the left leg.

Initial reports say Pedroia will be just fine, if not a little sore, but the fire has been lit on the 2017 version of this rivalry.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter seemed to downplay the incident after the game with his take on the situation.

"“I haven’t seen the slide. What was illegal about it? I don’t really know,” he said. “I’d have to look at it to react to it. But there’s a lot more about that game. I know that’s where the drama plays.”"

Immediately after the play, twitter was ablaze. Red Sox fans and media were outraged at the play made by the egotistical Machado.

Here’s the slide that stirred it all up.

Pedroia’s teammates were all angered by the slide. Many acknowledge how far past the bag Machado went on the slide.

"“It was a hard slide. He passed the base, if you’re asking me, and he injured the leader of our team,” Xander Bogaerts said after the game."

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Boston will surely be looking to take aim at Machado on Saturday at Camden Yards. Steven Wright will get the start for the Red Sox, but I think the hit will come out of the bullpen. Joe Kelly could be the “hired gun” as he was extremely angry with Machado last night and was seen yelling at him from the mound before umpires stepped in.

ESPN’s Scott Lauber brought up a good point in his recent article, and perhaps Fernando Abad gets the call for this one.

"“Machado is no stranger to controversy. In 2014, he was suspended five games for throwing his bat in the direction of third base after being brushed back by two consecutive pitches by then-Oakland A’s reliever Fernando Abad, who just so happens to be with the Red Sox now.”"

The plunking today, and perhaps the ensuing brawl, could wake up the Red Sox bats and really get them going in 2017. There is nothing more exciting than a baseball rivalry, and the Sox and O’s are doing their best to turn this into one.

Currently, the Baltimore Orioles lead the AL East with an 11-4 record, 2.0 games above the 10-7 Red Sox.

Next: Chris Sale Will Win the AL Cy Young in 2017

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