Farrell on Machado slide: 'The rule failed tonight'

The Boston Red Sox weren't happy following Friday night's game against Baltimore, during which Orioles star Manny Machado spiked Dustin Pedroia with a slide into second base, forcing the Red Sox infielder to leave the game.

Red Sox third-base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected after the incident, while manager John Farrell wasn't pleased with Machado or the umpires.

"Extremely late slide," Farrell said, according to WEEI. "The argument at the time was that if the rule is in place to protect the middle infielder, then it didn’t work tonight. I know there’s a component to the rule that says he’s got to deliberately and willfully attempt a double play. When you’re cleaned out, beyond second base, and the runner never held second base completely, to me the rule failed tonight.

"It was a late slide."

Related: Pedroia spiked on Machado's aggressive slide

While the play was deemed legal upon review, Machado may have violated MLB's recently implemented rule on slides, which calls for a double play against the offending player's team.

Rule 6.01(j) states:

A runner will have to make a "bona fide slide," which is defined as making contact with the ground before reaching the base, being able to and attempting to reach the base with a hand or foot, being able to and attempting to remain on the base at the completion of the slide (except at home plate) and not changing his path for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

For his part, Pedroia shook off the play, dismissing a question regarding whether the slide rule should've been enforced.

"I don’t even know what the rule is," Pedroia said. "I’ve turned the best double play in the major leagues for 11 years. I don’t need the f------ rule, let’s be honest. The rule is irrelevant. The rule is for people with bad footwork, and that’s it."

He continued, "Listen, man, I’ve turned double plays in the big leagues for 11 years. That’s my job. That’s not the first time I’ve been hit. It won’t be the last. It’s baseball, man."

Pedroia will reportedly see how his surgically repaired knee feels Saturday before determining if he can play over the weekend.