Phillies All-Star calls Rays pitcher ‘a 2-year-old throwing a fit’ after getting drilled by 96 MPH fastball

By Matt Higgins

·Updated: September 11, 2024

The Philadelphia Phillies were fired up after Nick Castellanos was hit by a 96 MPH fastball during Tuesday night’s win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rays reliever Edwin Uceta plunked Castellanos after giving up a home run, two doubles, and a single in the eighth inning of the Phillies’ 9-4 win. The game was tied 4-4 before Uceta took the mound. Benches immediately cleared and All-Star Bryce Harper, who was on second base after hitting a double, came up behind Uceta before being pulled away by a Rays player.

After the game, Castellanos compared Uceta to a toddler throwing a tantrum and that he wasn’t surprised he was hit by the pitch.

“He was pissed off that his ERA shot through the roof… And you’re gonna throw at somebody? That’s like my two year old throwing a fit because I take his dessert before he’s finished.” -Nick Castellanos on Edwin Uceta pic.twitter.com/AsZ12NPcEl
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 11, 2024

“Yeah, I just told him that it was bulls***,” Castellanos said, via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “I mean, you’re throwing a baseball over 90 mph. You’re frustrated and you’re going to throw at somebody? You know? That’s like my 2-year-old throwing a fit because I take away his dessert before he’s finished.”

Phillies superstar Bryce Harper rants about Edwin Uceta hitting Nick Castellanos with a pitch

Harper told reporters after the game he was “really upset” with what happened to Castellanos.

“He [Uceta] didn’t turn around, and I didn’t want to be a loser and come up behind him,” Harper said. “If he’s going to turn around, then all right, let’s go. But he never turned around, so I didn’t want to … I’ll keep saying loser. I didn’t want to be a loser. There’s another word I want to use, but I won’t. But I didn’t want to be a loser. That wouldn’t have been right. If he was facing me, then all right.”

Phillies star Bryce Harper shares his thoughts on Edwin Uceta hitting Nick Castellanos. @KYWNewsradio #Phillies pic.twitter.com/SXwS5mptU8
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) September 11, 2024

For what it’s worth, Uceta, who was ejected from the game, said he wasn’t throwing at Castellanos. That didn’t stop MLB, though, from suspending Uceta for three games and fining him.

The Phillies currently hold an eight-game lead over the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Their magic number is 10 to win the division for the first time since 2011.