D-Backs & Royals Get Tense To Open Three-Game Series After Witt Jr. HBP

With the Royals up 9-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Royals superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. came to the plate attempting to get the base hit he needed to complete the cycle.

However, Diamondbacks pitcher Humberto Castellanos threw a first-pitch sinker that got Witt’s hand, causing the Kaufmann crowd to roar boos and infuriate Salvador Perez. Witt took the hit and calmly walked to first base – he would cross home plate to score the Royals’ tenth run due to a sacrifice fly from the veteran catcher. Tensions rose when Royals pitcher John Schreiber hit Gabriel Moreno with a 92-mph sinker, the same pitch that Witt got hit by. Manager Torey Lovullo dashed to the field only to get ejected after flaring with the Royals’ dugout.

Lovullo wanted to get his point across to Perez: “If you think in your right mind that I was going to ask our team to hit the future of the MLB, you’re crazy,” the D-backs’ skipper said. “You lost control of the situation and you got it wrong.”

Lovullo added that he “wanted Perez to take it back to his dugout” and that “Bobby Witt Jr. is an unbelievable player.” Kansas City’s elite shortstop is batting .341 along with hitting 18 home runs and 69 RBIs.

“That’s why he’s the captain,” Witt said regarding Perez. “He’s got everyone’s back. I don’t know if I would want to mess with him.” Witt got a last shot to get the single he needed but the shortstop misjudged a good pitch that resulted in a fly-out.

Perez drenched Witt with Gatorade to celebrate a career night from the phenom despite falling short of hitting for the cycle. Monday’s game was Witt’s fourth consecutive game with three hits and is currently batting 12 for 15 since the All-Star break.