MILWAUKEE (AP) -Brewers manager Ned Yost hopes an altercation he had with two of his players during Thursday’s game will spark his struggling team.
Milwaukee has lost 10 of its last 14 games, including a 12-4 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday. The Brewers entered Friday tied for first in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs, just weeks after leading the division by eight games.
“What happened yesterday happened, and I think it is going to be for the good of all of us,” Yost said before Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. “It just shows the desire and intensity we all have to win. Sometimes frustrations mount up a little bit and it’s good to get them off your chest for everyone.”
Estrada.
The next inning, Yost motioned with his finger for Estrada to come talk with him, and they disappeared out of sight down the tunnel.
Yost declined to give specifics of the incident, saying “with all due respect, there are some things you don’t get to know and this is one of them.” Published reports said that Estrada and Graffanino were sticking up for an unnamed player that Yost had singled out for poor play.
Yost said he had talked to Estrada and Graffanino on Friday and “we’re all in good shape and past it.” The team also had a closed-door meeting before batting practice.
“It’s tough out there, especially for young players in (a pennant race),” Yost said.
“There is a lot of pressure on them. They need that veteran leadership. I felt it was really big that Johnny and Graff stood up for them a little bit and took some of the pressure off them.”
Estrada, who was traded to the Brewers from Arizona during the offseason, said the argument was something that happened “in the heat of the moment.”
“It’s a dead issue as far as we’re concerned,” Estrada said. “We haven’t been playing well. We were getting our butts kicked yesterday, the weather was hot and tempers flared.”
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin met with Yost after the game and said no disciplinary action would be taken against any of the players involved.
Estrada said he is hopeful the incident will inspire the Brewers to play better.
“We talked today as team and we’re excited about going forward,” he said.
“We’re happy to be in the position we are in to try and make a run. We need to stick together as a team and start playing better.”
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