WASHINGTON — The Mets were not happy when Nationals pitchers hit them with pitches three times Thursday, and the anger level was cranked up when Francisco Lindor was beaned Friday night.
The benches and bullpens cleared during a heated altercation that turned a baseball game into a shoving and shouting match in the fifth inning at Nationals Park.
With nobody out and Starling Marte on second, Lindor turned to bunt, but a fastball from reliever Steve Cishek came at his head. It was unclear exactly where the ball hit, but Lindor hit the ground and the Mets — led by manager Buck Showalter — began pouring onto the field while pointing at Cishek.
The sides pushed and shoved for a few minutes before they were separated. Cishek was ejected from the game, and Lindor left after being tended to by a trainer. The Mets announced X-rays on Lindor’s jaw were negative, and the shortstop passed a concussion test.
Showalter said the Mets were unhappy when James McCann was hit twice Thursday and Pete Alonso was beaned by a pitch that grazed off his shoulder and hit his helmet flap.
Mets starter Max Scherzer hit Washington’s Josh Bell in the lower leg in the second inning on a chilly night, which perhaps affected how pitchers could grip the ball.
“It’s dangerous,” Showalter said before the game. “If their [catcher] sets up underneath the hitter and in, you better have command in there. I’ve done this with pitchers: If he doesn’t have command, you can’t let him pitch in there. Or you can’t let him make your club.”
