Mets’ Frazier says Arrieta went ‘overboard’ on skull remark

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This article was published 07/07/2019 (2596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK – Todd Frazier is tired of being plunked by pitches from the Philadelphia Phillies. And he’s got no use for that tough talk from Jake Arrieta, either.

The tension between the Phillies and New York Mets escalated Saturday night when Arrieta threatened that if Frazier was still steamed about getting hit, “he can come see me and I’ll put a dent in his skull.”

“A little overboard,” Frazier said before Sunday’s season finale.

Frazier has been hit seven times by Phillies pitchers in the last two seasons, three this year and twice this weekend. The latest drilling came on a changeup by Arrieta and led to Frazier getting ejected.

Frazier said there was no bad blood between him and Arrieta, offering, “I know him really well.”

“He can say what he wants,” the Mets third baseman said. “I’m just sick of getting hit, especially by this team.”

“We’ll see what the commissioner wants to do. He saw what people are saying,” he said. “The commissioner has his hands full. We’ll see.”

Major League Baseball is reviewing Arrieta’s remarks to see if discipline is warranted.

The Phillies, meanwhile, are reviewing Arrieta. The right-hander has bone spurs in his right elbow and will be checked during the All-Star break to see whether surgery is needed.

Arrieta didn’t speak to reporters before Sunday’s game.

Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said the 33-year-old Arrieta recently told him about the trouble. Arrieta had season-ending surgery for bone spurs in 2011 while with Baltimore.

Arrieta is 8-7 with a 4.67 ERA. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner is in the second season of a three-year, $75 million contract he signed after leaving the Chicago Cubs.

Arrieta gave up a season-high 11 hits in just 4 1/3 innings during a 6-5 loss to the Mets. He also hit three batters.

Phillies pitchers have hit 12 Mets batters this year; Mets hitters have been plunked six times by the Phillies.

Umpire Tripp Gibson issued warnings to both teams after Frazier was hit. Mets manager Mickey Callaway was ejected after Arrieta later nailed Amed Rosario.

“If you’re going to hit our guys, we get our chance,” Frazier insisted.

Umpire crew chief Brian Gorman didn’t issue warnings before Sunday’s game.

Callaway said he didn’t think there would be any, adding, “I didn’t expect them to put out warnings last night.”

The Phillies and Mets played a day before the All-Star break, then get time to cool off. They don’t meet again until Aug. 30 at Citizens Bank Park.

Frazier drew a walk in his first at-bat, with Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola keeping the ball on the outside part of the plate.

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