Joe Maddon isn't a fan of Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers these days.
The Chicago Cubs manager said the NL Central rival's pitching staff has a reputation for throwing up and in - something he witnessed firsthand when All-Star shortstop Javier Baez was almost hit twice and David Bote was struck in the helmet during a heated game between the two clubs on Thursday.
"I mean, pent-up frustration is one thing, but when your guys keep getting thrown at their head that's another thing too," Maddon said afterward, according to ESPN. "It's an industry-wide concept that we know that they are into and I have it from really good sources."
Maddon ended up getting tossed from Thursday's game after he looked to be heading toward the Pirates' dugout. He had to be held back by umpire Joe West and third baseman Kris Bryant while pointing his finger in the direction of Pittsburgh skipper Clint Hurdle.
"Well (West is) concerned that I am inciting something and I wasn't even yelling at Clinton," Maddon said. "I had direction."
Hurdle, meanwhile, defended right-hander Jordan Lyles - the pitcher who nearly hit Baez and started the fracas.
"Nobody likes the ball up and in, so I can understand there is some angst involved," Hurdle said. "There's always going to be angst involved in the game of baseball. A manager is always going to try to protect his team and share his feelings."
Lyles echoed the same sentiments.
"I throw a lot of heaters up at hitters' hands," he said. "And then I think it was the foul ball, which created Joe to come out. But other than that, Baez said he was good. Everything was fine. Maybe he was trying to get the boys to get a little light up in them."
Thursday's game marked the third time this season that Pittsburgh's been involved in a dust-up on the field. In April, multiple suspensions were handed out after a brawl with the Cincinnati Reds. And in June, right-hander Joe Musgrove and Josh Donaldson were ejected over a skirmish after the Atlanta Braves third baseman was grazed by a pitch.
