The Philadelphia Phillies were energized after Nick Castellanos was hit by a 96 MPH fastball during Tuesday night’s victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the eighth inning of the Phillies’ 9-4 victory, Rays reliever Edwin Uceta hit Castellanos after allowing a home run, two doubles, and a single. The game was tied 4-4 as Uceta took the mound. Benches cleared quickly, and All-Star Bryce Harper, who was on second base after hitting a double, approached Uceta before being pulled away by a Rays player.
After the game, Castellanos compared Uceta to a tantrum-throwing baby and said he wasn’t shocked he got struck by the pitch.
“Yeah, I just told him that it was bulls***,” Castellanos told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “I mean, you’re throwing a baseball at over 90 mph.” You’re frustrated and about to hurl something at someone? Do you know? That’s like my 2-year-old being upset when I take away his dessert before he’s finished.”
Phillies superstar Bryce Harper rants about Edwin Uceta hitting Nick Castellanos with a pitch
Harper told reporters after the game that he was “really upset” about what happened to Castellanos.
“He [Uceta] didn’t turn around, and I didn’t want to be a loser and come up behind him,” Harper joked. “If he’s going to turn around, then let’s go. He didn’t turn around, so I didn’t want to… I’ll keep saying “loser.” I did not want to be a loser. I would like to use another word, but I will not. But I didn’t want to be the loser. That would not have been correct. If he were facing me, that would be fine.”
For what it’s worth, Uceta, who was dismissed from the game, said he didn’t pitch at Castellanos. MLB, however, suspended Uceta for three games and fined him.
The Phillies are now eight games ahead of the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves in the National League East standings. Their magic number is 10, and they want to win the division for the first time since 2011.
