Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona was not happy after Sal Stewart was drilled in the helmet.
The Cincinnati Reds took Thursday's series finale against the Chicago White Sox in a 9-8 thriller where tensions ran high. The biggest performer in the contest was undoubtedly corner infielder Sal Stewart, who launched a home run, drove in two runs and reached base four times.
However, Stewart's day also featured a particularly scary moment. His home run came in the top of the first inning against White Sox starter Davis Martin. The situation got chippy in the third inning when Martin threw a wild pitch over Stewart's head.
Then the very next pitch struck the duckbill of Stewart's helmet, to which Stewart immediately pointed at Martin and made it clear he was unhappy about nearly being hit in the face on back-to-back pitches. The benches cleared for both sides before the umpires got together and decided to eject Martin without issuing a warning first.
It remains unclear whether Martin had any ill intent behind his pitches, but Reds manager Terry Francona seemed to have no doubt, voicing his frustration when speaking with reporters after the game.
"That was extremely blatant. You can't throw two balls at that head high. You could kill somebody. I thought that was terrible," Francona said.
Given the manager that Francona has been throughout his tenure in the big leagues, he is exceptionally well-received by players, and this is a prime example of why. He is fiercely protective of his roster and not afraid to speak his mind when he believes one of his players was put in danger. The good news is that Stewart is okay and the worst-case scenario Francona referenced did not happen.
It also makes sense why Francona was so animated. An injury to Stewart would be a devastating blow. Across 456 at-bats this year, Stewart has posted a .259 batting average, .337 on-base percentage, .817 OPS, 26 home runs and 89 RBIs, emerging as one of the best hitters on the roster. He was a top prospect before his debut last September, but to see him look like a seasoned veteran in the batter's box already has been one of the brightest spots in an otherwise disappointing season for Cincinnati.
There is still time for the Reds to make a push. They have played much better in the second half and now sit in fourth place in the NL Central. Time is running out though, and even if they make the playoffs, they will have to do it without ace Hunter Greene.
