No holiday-like pleasantries were exchanged in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Sunday. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox just emptied out the benches and fought in a massive Easter Sunday brawl.
Tensions ignited following a shocking collision at home plate. Pirates star shortstop Oneil Cruz injured himself at the plate. Cruz was injured right away and knew it as he writhed in pain on the ground by home plate and the batter’s box.
The benches clear in Pittsburgh after the Pirates’ O’Neil Cruz is injured on a collision at the plate vs the White Sox. pic.twitter.com/rjxvvvEIEK
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 9, 2023
Things got very dicey from there. The Pirates and White Sox’s benches cleared and the two teams converged on each other on the third baseline. Players shoved each other and no doubt exchanged unpleasant remarks.
A White Sox player separated catcher Seby Zavala from the situation. Zavala was involved right at the heart of the moment that sparked the huge Easter Sunday brawl.
The MLB world reacted to the on-field fight after it went down.
“LOVE the Pirates defending O’Neil Cruz like this after he appears to get injured colliding with a White Sox catcher,” one user tweeted.
LOVE the Pirates defending O’Neil Cruz like this after he appears to get injured colliding with a White Sox catcher
It’s a 2/10 kerfuffle at max, but the message is being sent that they are gonna protect their guys. Gotta respect it. pic.twitter.com/MdasyHkzV7
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) April 9, 2023
“Look that sucks for Cruz but Seby didn’t do a single thing wrong,” a White Sox fan pled.
Look that sucks for Cruz but Seby didn't do a single thing wrong. Pirates need to chill. I like Kopech getting in there for Seby.
— DJ (@WhiteSoxDJ) April 9, 2023
Sherry, who writes for Twins Daily, didn’t have the Sox and Pirates as the first bench-clearing brawl of the season.
I did not have White Sox and Pirates on the first benches clearing when I asked a few weeks ago! https://t.co/UtL3HUBWvb
— Sherry ⚾️ (@mnbaseballgal) April 9, 2023
One fan said Cruz “took a terrible path to the plate almost like he was trying to box out the throw and then proceeded to slide directly into the catcher instead of trying to avoid the tag. I don’t understand what Seby is supposed to do except exactly what he did.”
He took a terrible path to the plate almost like he was trying to box out the throw and then proceeded to slide directly into the catcher instead of trying to avoid the tag. I don’t understand what Seby is supposed to do except exactly what he did. https://t.co/GwdQXh2yGV
— Jason (@steagles1) April 9, 2023
Cruz left the game with a knee injury. Hopefully, he can make a speedy recovery.
