The Boston Red Sox boasted about "good vibes" in the clubhouse at the beginning of the 2024 campaign. But the vibes went sour after Chris Martin recorded his final out against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 26.
As the righty walked off the mound, he muttered under his breath to the Brewers' first base coach, Quintin Berry. Berry fired back, and then the benches cleared. No punches were thrown, but both sides engaged in a verbal altercation. The confrontation was Boston's first of the season.
Martin gave some insight into his mutterings after the game. The pitcher admitted that he didn't take kindly to Milwaukee's bunting habit.
"I feel like, in this league, swing the bat. That’s it." Martin said. "Honestly, it’s probably a compliment. Maybe they don’t think they can get a hit or whatever."
Chris Martin explains comments that lead to Red Sox confrontation against Brewers
"We're competing, emotions get hot. Things happen."
— NESN (@NESN) May 26, 2024
Chris Martin says he doesn't have beef with Quintin Berry following their 7th inning confrontation.#RedSox | https://t.co/jyk3EsbxuY pic.twitter.com/qECL6QaASD
The only hit Martin let up in his one-inning outing was a bunt single to third base. Afterward, he collected three straight grounders to get out of the frame unscathed. The Brewers bunted again when Kenley Jansen took the mound in the ninth.
Martin's verbal jabs have been interpreted in different ways by baseball fans familiar with the incident. On the one hand, the Red Sox collected their only win against the Brewers and staved off a sweep. Conversely, arguing over a bunt single in a scoreless inning could be considered unnecessary. Red Sox fans blamed Berry for overreacting and Brewers fans called Martin out for starting a fight.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora framed the incident as Berry "taking exception" to something Martin said. Cora, Berry and Boston's pitching coach Andrew Bailey were all members of the 2013 Red Sox and Bailey was the first person to step between Berry and his players.
Regardless of the legitimacy of the cause of the tiff, Jarren Duran admitted after the game that it fired the team up. Duran said Martin is usually calm, and seeing him get heated lit a fire under the team, which may have spurred Durna's go-ahead RBI.
It sounds like Martin's statements propelled the Red Sox to a win — whether it was intentional or not is still up for debate.