In an attempt to tie up Monday night’s game against the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo collided with Padres catcher Austin Hedges. While Hedges way able to avoid the tying run from scoring, Padres manager Andy Green was not too happy about the collision.
“I think you look at that play and it’s a fairly egregious violation of the rule. The rule exists to protect the catcher,” Green said, via ESPN. “The safety of the catcher is more in jeopardy now when you have the rule to protect you because you’re not expecting to get hit when you give a guy a plate like that.”
Here’s the play in question.
Manager Andy Green accused @ARizzo44 of a “cheap shot” during a home-plate collision. Was it a dirty play? Debate: https://t.co/FIGAcMJvVA pic.twitter.com/MAPAxo8tn0
— Zachary Snyder (@Fandings) June 20, 2017
To be clear, the interpretation of the rule is pretty much left up to the eye of the beholder. If a catcher fully blocks home plate, the base runner can run into him. Was that the case with Hedges?
Either way, Major League Baseball is now reviewing the play.
Breaking news from @sdutdennislin … Joe Torre of MLB is reviewing last night's Rizzo-Hedges collision in Chicago: https://t.co/RyKUnlcfhx
— Jay Posner (@JayPosnerSD) June 20, 2017
Torre himself is responsible for handing down fines and suspensions. He will be the one to decide what comes of this.