Benches clear between Yankees-Mets as Stanton claps back at Lindor
Benches cleared in the seventh inning of Sunday night's game between the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton smoked a game-tying home run off Mets reliever Brad Hand. As he rounded second, Stanton stopped and turned to seemingly jaw at shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Giancarlo Stanton hits a home run to tie the game and has some words for Francisco Lindor as he rounds the bases so benches clear pic.twitter.com/l4eAdOI3f8
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 13, 2021
This may have been in retaliation after Lindor made a whistling gesture at the Yankees bench when he rounded third on his second home run of the night earlier in the game.
Francisco Lindor whistling towards the Yankees dugout. #LGM pic.twitter.com/vmhYtFlmm7
— Justin Groc (@justgroc) September 13, 2021
The tension likely stemmed from Saturday night's contest when infielder Jonathan Villar reportedly heard whistles coming from the Yankees dugout before starter Taijuan Walker threw his pitches. Villar called a mound meeting to tell Walker that he might be tipping his pitches and the Yankees were signaling which ones were coming, he told ESPN's Marly Rivera.
Officials issued warnings to both sides before the conflict subsided.
Lindor ultimately got the last laugh after breaking the tie in the eighth inning with his third home run of the game.
Stanton came up again in the top of the ninth with a pair of runners on base and the game on the line, but popped up to - who else? - Lindor to end it. With the 7-6 victory, the Mets took two of three during the weekend set.