New York Mets players Dominic Smith and Miguel Castro have been fined by Major League Baseball in the wake of Friday’s bench-clearing incident against the Phillies.
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that Smith and Castro have both received undisclosed fines for their roles in what unfolded on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies’ reliever Jose Alvarado didn’t get away as lightly having been served a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine.
News: Major League Baseball has fined Mets players Dominic Smith and Miguel Castro for their roles in Friday's benches-clearing incident.
The big punishment went to Phillies reliever José Alvarado, who received a three-game suspension. He's appealing it.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 2, 2021
If you aren’t sure what we are talking about, then let us remind you by taking you down recent memory lane quickly.
In what was an otherwise lowkey 2-1 win for the Phillies on Friday night, a game in which the Mets’ sluggish offense again failed to wake from its slumber, all of the headlines were quickly written themselves when tempers flared at the top of the eighth inning.
With Alvarado on the mound, the reliever struck out Smith for the third out with the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, and decided to make his feelings clear by celebrating and then engaging Smith with a few heated words and gestures.
Understandably already frustrated at having failed to at least make it a tied game, Smith took exception to Alvarado’s behavior and fired back, leading to the latter hauling his glove to the ground and charging at Smith with both benches and bullpens completely emptying.
No punches were thrown with Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp getting in the way of Alvarado and Smith, but it was still an incredibly heated moment and the situation could have easily spiralled out of control given the emotions on both sides.
Castro, meanwhile, was fined for walking Rhys Hoskins and then following him to first base after his third and fourth pitches were clearly way inside. It was just a frustrating night for all concerned on the Mets.
You can argue that maybe Smith and Castro both being fined was a little harsh, and it is also worth noting that Alvarado has appealed his three-game suspension so he could face the Mets tonight in what will be the final game of a three-game series that has had plenty of juice attached to it thanks to Friday night.
The Mets saw their offense finally breakout somewhat in a 5-4 win on Saturday with Michael Conforto hitting a huge home run in the top of the ninth inning, a moment that has created the legend that is “Donnie Stevenson,” and they will hope that the bats stay hot tonight in order to take the series on the road.
