You’re not going to find a baseball player who enjoys getting hit by the pitch. It’s a painful, scary moment that only get worse when the hitter believes it was done intentionally.
It’s usually easy to tell intent from the pitcher’s reaction, and in Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon’s case on Wednesday night, he absolutely didn’t mean to hit the Mets’ Jeff McNeil.
With one out in the fourth inning and the Yankees up a run, Rodon hit McNeil in the back with a fastball that was clocked at 95.3 mph. McNeil went to the ground in pain and immediately threw his helmet out of frustration. The pitch’s location — right between the numbers — wasn’t a spot that we normally see big-league pitchers hit by accident. But Rodon seemed to be a rare exception.
Rodón hits McNeil right in the back and he doesn't like it at all pic.twitter.com/wCSCkxr4MG
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 27, 2023
Rodon tried to make it clear to McNeil that he wasn’t trying to hit him and apologized to McNeil when he made his way to first base.
Rodón checks on McNeil over at first base pic.twitter.com/xxuo18hBof
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 27, 2023
He also offered a second apology to McNeil as the Mets infielder returned to the dugout. It looked like Rodon said, “My bad, dude. I’m sorry.”
he said “my bad dude im sry” to mcneil after hitting him i adore rodon pic.twitter.com/7HqPILOP0V
— tommy kahnle’s #1 fan (@jonmoxIeys) July 27, 2023
If the pitch was intentional, Rodon wouldn’t have made such a huge effort to make it seem accidental. And after the game, McNeil told reporters that he knew it wasn’t on purpose. He was just frustrated because getting hit by a 95 mph fastball isn’t an enjoyable experience.
He said via the New York Post:
“I was just frustrated. I got hit with a 96 mph fastball. I get a little frustrated sometimes. I know he’s had a little control trouble in his last starts and he was trying to throw strikes. One got away. It happens.”
Fans also appreciated how Rodon checked on McNeil.
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This was how Twitter reacted
Instant huge Rodon fan. Has that fire and is a good dude https://t.co/1ZeDcJc559
— whit 🇺🇸⚾️ (@DarthWhitter) July 27, 2023
Good dude. #Yankees https://t.co/Rp53CReK3a
— JohnnyJet (@JohnnyJet) July 27, 2023
Gotta love the respect.
— NYYhottakes (@nyyhottakes) July 27, 2023
this clearly wasn’t intentional rodon has been all over the place https://t.co/qdTIDtCgDy
— jon™️ (@nyyenjoyer) July 27, 2023
Class act
— Paul (@BabbleBronx) July 27, 2023
As Jeff McNeil was walking past him, Carlos Rodon apologized for beaning him earlier.
In the middle of the game.
Great gesture.#NYMvsNYY#SubwaySeries pic.twitter.com/DPZPNc8vk0
— YogurT (@djlesboogie) July 27, 2023
The Yankees went on to win, 3-1.
