Benches clear between Guardians and D-backs
MLB.com • • sports
Key Points:
- Cleveland Guardians catcher Roberto Pérez expressed frustration over opposing players being spoken to during a perfect game bid, though he clarified his main issue was not the bunt itself.
- Guardians manager Torey Lovullo emphasized the importance of de-escalating tensions and appreciated that both he and Pérez discussed and agreed on the situation calmly.
- The controversy involved Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll bunting during right-hander Triston McKenzie’s perfect game attempt, which some view as breaking an unwritten baseball rule.
- Bunting to break up a perfect game is generally accepted if it occurs before the late innings and is performed by a player who regularly bunts, a point confirmed by Diamondbacks coach Tawa after consulting with Lovullo.
- This was not the first time a bunt disrupted McKenzie's perfect game bid, adding to the Guardians' frustration, though both sides acknowledge the competitive nature and unwritten rules of baseball.
