Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig took San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner yard for a solo home run in the sixth inning of the Reds 6-5 loss to the Giants on Sunday, adding to the pair's rivalry. The beef between Puig and Bumgarner goes back over the last six seasons while Puig was a member of the Dodgers.
Here's how Sunday afternoon went down, starting with Puig's home run and subsequent bat flip:
Then, Bumgarner added a zinger of his own. "He's a quick study," Bumgarner told reporters after the game. "It only took him seven years to learn how to hit that pitch."
You can't say Bumgarner is totally off-base as he has kept the upper hand for most of the pair's recent feud. Entering Sunday, Puig had been hitless in his last 11 at-bats against Bumgarner going back to 2016. Before Puig's blast, he had just two home runs off Bumgarner in 48 at-bats, and Puig has never faced a pitcher more than he has Bumgarner.
Here's a full rundown of everything that has happened between the two of them:
May 9, 2014: Bumgarner comes off the mound to exchange a few words after Puig's unhurried trot around the bases following his solo home run and bat flip. That home run at Dodger Stadium, five years ago during Puig's second season in MLB, was Puig's last homer off Bumgarner since Sunday's.
Sept. 23, 2014: Five months later, tempers flare and benches clear in a late September Giants-Dodgers game, after Bumgarner hit Puig with a pitch in the first inning.
Sept. 19, 2016: After Puig grounded out to Bumgarner, the two exchanged words and benches cleared once again.
After the incident, it didn't take long for the Dodgers to have a little fun with Bumgarner's "don't look at me," even going so far as to make custom t-shirts with the phrase.
The Giants and Reds won't face each other again during the 2019 regular season, but don't expect this beef to die down anytime soon.
