Report: MLB Investigates Alex Cora Hinting Red Sox Threw at Yankees’ Aaron Judge

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 16, 2024

Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images

MLB is digging into comments made by Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora that gave the impression Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello tried to throw at New York Yankees star Aaron Judge in Boston’s 7-1 win on Saturday, according to the New York Post’s Mark W. Sanchez.

Bello threw behind Judge’s legs in the sixth inning of the contest.

The frustration from the Red Sox’s dugout stemmed from earlier when Yankees ace Gerrit Cole hit third baseman Rafael Devers in the first inning and then intentionally walked him with no one on in the fourth.

MLB @MLBGerrit Cole shows Rafael Devers the ultimate sign of respect and intentionally walks him with the bases empty 🫡 pic.twitter.com/XQzIc2DrrO

Boston didn’t take kindly to the gamesmanship.

“I felt like the first at-bat he hit him on purpose,” Cora told reporters after the game. “He doesn’t want to face him. That’s the bottom line. He told us with the intentional walk that the first at-bat he hit him.”

Baseball being a sport where the players sometimes police themselves, fans almost immediately drew a straight line from Cole’s approach to Devers to Bello throwing behind Judge.

Cora fanned the flames after the game when he responded affirmatively when asked whether the matter was “closed.”

“It was closed yesterday, like, around the sixth inning, so you know, we had our chance,” he said. “It didn’t happen. We have to move on.”

Asked about Cora’s comments, Judge shrugged them off and said, “It’s baseball.”

YES Network @YESNetwork”They’re just protecting their players… I think the biggest thing is just don’t miss when you do it.”

Aaron Judge reacts to Alex Cora’s implications that the Red Sox threw at him during Saturday’s game. pic.twitter.com/7CAdQb3Pdg

Considering the evidence against the Red Sox is pretty strong, it’s safe to assume some form of discipline is on the way if MLB is actually taking the time for an inquiry.

The controversy seems to have passed already, though, and the season series between the Red Sox and Yankees wrapped up Sunday. New York got the last laugh as it went 7-6 in the 13 head-to-head meetings.