The New York Yankees slumped to another woeful defeat Monday night, and their feelings were summed up by a rare moment of anger from Anthony Rizzo, who was caught on camera in the middle of an epic meltdown.
The Bronx Bombers fell 4-0 to their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, and early in the game Rizzo was subject to a controversial call from the umpires – which he didn’t take very well.
In the bottom of the third, the Yankees first baseman was hit by a curveball from Ryan Yarbrough, but umpire D.J. Reyburn ruled that he did not make enough of an effort to get out of the way of the pitch.
Anthony Rizzo was left furious after a controversial call from the umpire on Monday night
First baseman went back to the dugout and repeatedly smashed his helmet against the seats
None of his colleagues even flinched as the Florida native let out his anger after the strikeout
Skipper Aaron Boone came out onto the field to argue the call too, but it stood and two pitches later Rizzo was struck out and headed back to the dugout.
Rather than just taking his seat, though, the 33-year-old Florida native took his anger out on his helmet, repeatedly slamming it down into the seat in a rare show of anger.
None of his teammates seemed keen to get involved, so let the situation play out, and after the defeat Rizzo cleared up the reasons for his meltdown.
‘Whenever you feel like you got screwed over on a call, at any time it’s annoying,’ Rizzo told reporters, per the New York Post.
Rizzo argued with D.J. Reyburn but the call stood and soon after, Rizzo was struck out
Yankees skipper Aaron Boone separates Rizzo from the home plate umpire as tempers flare
‘We’re out here competing at the highest level. I’m up here talking to [the media]. I feel like umpires have zero accountability when they miss something like that.’
The Yankees have scored just eight runs in their last six games, and left the field to boos from the Bronx crowd Monday night.
Though they still hold an 11-game lead in the AL East, the 2-8 streak in their last 10 games is worrying ahead of upcoming series’ against the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets.