Cubs News: Bumgarner tells Willson Contreras to ‘shut the f–k up , you pus--’ during at-bat |
Lefty veteran pitcher Madison Bumgarner found himself in the spotlight on Wednesday for reasons that had nothing to do with his pitching.
Instead, it was his behavior at the plate that raised eyebrows and ultimately led to his release from the Arizona Diamondbacks just a day later. During the game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Bumgarner was facing off against Willson Contreras, a 30-year-old catcher for the Cardinals. On his first swing, Contreras made an "ohhhh" noise while hitting a foul ball. This seemingly innocent gesture was enough to set Bumgarner off. The cameras caught Bumgarner looking displeased and mouthing off to Contreras, who responded by talking to the Arizona catcher, Jose Herrera, and pointing at Bumgarner on the mound. Bumgarner's anger boiled over, and he was caught on the Cardinals broadcast swearing at Contreras, calling him a "pu--y" and telling him to "shut the f--k up." Yesterday, Madison Bumgarner told Willson Contreras to “shut the f**k up.” Contreras later told reporters that he saw Bumgarner mouthing off to him and responded. “He didn’t like the way I swung at the fastball,” Contreras told reporters after the game. “I never looked back at him or anything. I don’t think he appreciated that. When I turned around, I knew he was saying something back to me. If he’s getting mad about that, What can I say? I know it’s part of the game. If he says something to me, I will say something back. “For me, it’s like mind games. Thankfully I got in his mind and he blew out in that inning.” Willson Contreras on Madison Bumgarner: Unfortunately for Bumgarner and the Diamondbacks, the incident seemed to rattle the pitcher, and he went on to give up a season-high seven earned runs, four walks, two strikeouts, and one home run in just three innings. The Cardinals ended up blowing out the Diamondbacks 14-5. The next day, the Diamondbacks announced that they were designating Bumgarner for assignment, meaning they were releasing him from his contract and eating more than $34 million in salary. It's a stunning turn of events for a pitcher who has had a successful career, including four All-Star selections and multiple World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants. This should be a reminder to all pro athletes that even the most experienced and successful athletes can find themselves in hot water if they don't keep their emotions in check. Willson Contreras and Madison Bumgarner shared some unfriendly words in the middle of the at-bat. pic.twitter.com/zJcRIWvRxX
Then Contreras then pimped a walk.
Madison Bumgarner was just DFA’d by the D-Backs
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"For me, it's like mind games. Thankfully I got in his mind and he blew out in that inning."
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