Red Sox manager Alex Cora will not face suspension for comments he made on Sunday regarding Boston potentially throwing at Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Boston beat writer Chris Cotillo first reported.
Speaking to reporters before the Yankees and Red Sox met for their weekend series finale at Yankee Stadium, Cora was asked if the drama from the day before would carry over to that afternoon's game.
“It was closed [Saturday] around the sixth inning,” Cora said. “We had our chance. Didn’t happen. We have to move on. That’s it.”
Cora seemed to be referring to Boston reliever Brayan Bello throwing behind Judge's legs in the sixth inning the day before. The pitch missed the Yankee captain and the Red Sox didn't appear to throw at him again.
“Playing this game for a while, things like that happen,” Judge said. “I know they were upset that three of there guys got hit that day. They’re just protecting their players. Something’s gotta happen. That’s the way this game gets policed and it’s been policed for 100 years. The biggest thing is just don’t miss when you do it.”
The Red Sox manager has since said that he spoke with Judge and their conversation was “professional.”
The Yankees won 5-2 on Sunday, taking three out of four from their rivals and delivering a major blow to Boston's playoff hopes. Before the Yankees headed west to face the Seattle Mariners, New York manager Aaron Boone seemed to fire back at Cora.
“That’s not allowed,” he said. “That’s for somebody else to deal with. We’re finished playing with them for now. We’re on to Seattle. Obviously you can’t do that.”
The ongoing battle between Red Sox star Rafael Devers and Yankees ace Gerrit Cole
The Saturday brouhaha came as a result of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole hitting Rafael Devers in the first inning. Cole then intentionally walked Devers in the fourth, which seemed to clinch for Cora that Cole threw at his star intentionally.
“He doesn’t want to face him,” Cora said after the game. “That's the bottom line. You know, he told us with the intentional walk that the first at-bat, he hit him [on purpose]. They can say whatever they want. The intentional walk [made it] loud and clear that he didn’t want to face him. So the second pitch of the game against Raffy, you see it. I’m not going to back off. It was intentional.”
Devers has owned Cole in his career, hitting .350 off the reigning AL Cy Young winner in 40 career at bats. Eight of his 14 hits off Cole have been home runs.
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As one would expect, Cole denied that he threw at Devers purposely.
“I didn't throw at Devers in the first inning,” he said. “He can believe what he wants to believe. I didn't hit him on purpose.”
For Devers' part, he seemed to relish the space he occupies in Cole's head.
“I know how he feels about me, and that’s something that makes me proud and happy,” he said.
Overall, Cole's up-and-down season continued on Saturday, a 7-1 Red Sox win. He gave up all seven of Boston's runs on five hits, three walks, and only two strikeouts.
