"Extremely disrespectful to show me up like that" - Kyle Freeland breaks silence with brutal honesty after ugly ejection following Rafael Devers’ HR 

Kyle Freeland and Rafael Devers got into a tense situation that led to both benches clearing (Source: Getty Images)
Kyle Freeland and Rafael Devers got into a tense situation that led to both benches clearing (Source: Getty)

The game between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants saw a benches-clearing situation in the first inning as Rockies starter Kyle Freeland was ejected for initiating a heated spat with Rafael Devers that prompted the latter's teammates, Matt Chapman and Willy Adames, to get involved, and subsequently get ejected.

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On the eighth pitch of the game with Heliot Ramos on base with a leadoff single, Devers hit a sweeper from Freeland deep into the right field stands. He proceeded to have a slow trot to first base, which wasn't well received from the pitcher.

Freeland started the verbal confrontation, but home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi quickly came in his way. Chapman would shove the southpaw running in from the on-deck circle with Adames soon following. After the game, Freeland made his feelings known about Devers' behavior.

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“Extremely disrespectful to show me up like that in the first inning after hitting a home run. Standing there, watching it, taking your sweet time getting down to first base,” Freeland said. “I’ve been in this league quite some time, and I know he has as well. I just find that extremely disrespectful, and I felt that I needed to let him know about that.”
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He added he was surprised to be entirely removed from the game as he was speaking up for himself:

“I was slightly surprised to be ejected. I understand that I was the one who instigated it, so that right there is grounds for ejection. I understand that. Slightly surprised, but also not, because I understand the rules.”

After the ejections, Devers would finally complete going around the bases. Freeland was relieved with zero outs by Antonio Sentazela, who went 4.2 innings of one-run ball to keep Colorado in the game. But the Giants eventually prevailed 7-4 for the win.

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Rockies manager unhappy with umpires' decision

Rockies manager Warren Schaefer called out the umpires for their 'subjective' understanding of the heated brawl between the two teams. He noted that losing a starter put them at a disadvantage early on.

“Happens a lot in today’s game, but those things are subjective,” Schaeffer said via DenverPost.com. “A guy like (Freeland) has been pitching a long time. I think he felt disrespected, and he did what he did. At the end of the day, when your starter doesn’t get an out in the first inning and he’s out of the game, that hurts the ballclub. That hurts the ballclub. And he knows that.”

Tuesday's loss was the 100th of the season for the Rockies, their consecutive season in which they have achieved the feat. They need three wins to avoid having the most losses in modern baseball history, a record set by the Chicago White Sox last year with a 41-120 record.

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Edited by Veer Badani
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