Texas Rangers pitcher Sam Dyson was reportedly unhappy with the post-home run bat flip and antics of right fielder Jose Bautista during the Toronto Blue Jays series-clinching win.
Dyson spoke to reporters after the game and addressed Bautista's post-swing stare-down and toss of his bat before jogging the bases. The Blue Jays star's actions are said to have caused both dugouts to clear after he scored in the seventh inning.
It was the Texas Rangers pitcher who gave up a three-run moon shot to Jose Bautista that effectively resulted to the Rangers' exit from the series. Dyson spoke to Barry Svlgula of the Washington Post and expressed his disdain for Bautista's bat flip.
"I told (Edwin Encarnacion in the on deck circle) Jose needs to calm that down, just kind of respect the game a little more," Dyson said. He's a huge role model for the younger generation that's coming up playing this game, and I mean he's doing stuff that kids do in Wiffle ball games and backyard baseball. It shouldn't be done," Dyson mentioned.
Fellow Rangers starter Cole Hamels also made his thoughts about the play known after the game. "It's hard to be politically correct. It is tough to see. A lot of us on our team don't carry ourselves that way," Hamels said.
On the other hand, Bautista did say shortly after the game that he did not mean any disrespect by lifting the bat above his head and tossing it high in celebration. He explained that he did that almost unconsciously as he was caught in the heat of the moment.
"I can't really remember what was going through my mind, to be quite honest with you. After I made contact, I just, I didn't plan anything that I did. So I still don't even know how I did it. I just enjoyed the moment, ran around the bases, got to the dugout, and after all the guys stopped punching me and hitting me is when I started realizing what had happened," Bautista told ESPN.
Bautista's three-run seventh-inning homer during the controversial game allowed the Blue Jays to head toward the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Toronto's bad blood-filled 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday propelled them back to the ALCS, the team's first time since 1993.
