‘It seems to be a trend': Cubs, Brewers tensions boil over

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Stop if you’ve heard this before: Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch in a game against the Brewers.

“Being hit that many times is not fun,” the Cubs catcher said following Saturday’s 9-0 win over the Brewers.

No kidding.

But that was only the beginning Saturday, as Cubs and Brewers’ benches and bullpens cleared — the latest time it’s happened in a game between the two teams featuring hit by pitches, unintentional or otherwise.

Three Cubs and two Brewers were hit Saturday: Nick Madrigal, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Andrew McCutchen and Christian Yelich.

When Contreras was hit on his left elbow guard in the fourth inning, it marked his second hit by pitch vs. the Brewers this series, and 10th against them since the 60-game 2020 season.

A reporter pointed the latter fact out to Cubs manager David Ross, who then noted Contreras has been hit “15 or 16 times” in his career against Milwaukee (15).

“We like to count them all,” Ross said, smiling. “Don’t let any of those slide.

“It seems to be a trend [against Milwaukee]”

The two teams’ benches cleared after Contreras was hit in the helmet and upper arm in consecutive last April, and the Cubs’ message was if the Brewers can’t pitch inside, they shouldn’t.

Contreras reiterated that point Saturday.

“I know they’re not trying to [hit us intentionally],” Contreras said Saturday. “But like I said before, if you don't have the command to go in, just don’t go. Because you’re going to get somebody hurt.”

That initially appeared to be the case with Happ, who left the game in the seventh inning after taking a pitch off his left kneecap. X-rays came back negative, however.

"It's going to be pretty stiff [Sunday], I'm sure, but right now it's not too bad,” Happ said.

The fracas broke out a half inning later after Keegan Thompson hit Andrew McCutchen near his left hip on a 2-1 pitch — one pitch after throwing behind him.

Thompson said the pitch “got away from me.” McCutchen thinks otherwise.

“Everybody and their mom knew when I came up to bat, I was going to get hit,” McCutchen told Milwaukee reporters.

Said Thompson: “I wasn’t really expecting them to think I had any intention into it. Just working on things.

“Even though it’s not a close ballgame, you just can’t take pitches off as a pitcher. I still have to go at the guy and still try and do your best and make good pitches.”

The benches and bullpens cleared, and Jason Heyward dashed in from center field, getting to the front of the evolving scrum before most of his teammates.

Why?

“Thirteen years [in the big leagues], seven years [in Chicago],” Heyward said. “I just didn't think anyone else needed to be out front.”

Thompson was ejected, and things settled down. Yelich was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning, but it came from Ethan Roberts, who was making his MLB debut.

Ross was asked for his view of the Thompson-McCutchen incident.

“A lot of balls getting away from guys the last couple of days,” Ross said. “This game has a way sometimes just of policing itself.

“It wasn't really on my radar with the first pitch slider, with strike one, getting ahead, and then one in. Looked like he lost a couple of them.”

Contreras said the pitch wasn’t intentional. 

“If it was intentional, we probably would have hit him on the first pitch, but we didn't,” he said. “Keegan is a great guy and is not trying to get anybody hurt. It wasn’t intentional, it got away from him.”

The Brewers’ obviously aren’t intentionally throwing at the Cubs each time they pitch inside and hit a batter. Happ and Contreras both noted it’s likely Milwaukee’s scouting report on the Cubs hitters.

“Their game plan for a few guys is inside," Happ said. "In years past, probably Willson, KB (Kris Bryant, Javy [Báez], the scouting report was heaters in, and it led to a bunch of hit by pitches. 

“They’re not throwing at guys.”

But the Cubs’ frustrations stem from the repetitive nature of it all, certainly with Contreras.

“Would you get frustrated if you got hit, what was it, 12 or 14 times?” said Justin Steele, Saturday’s Cubs starter. “I mean, yeah, I would be frustrated.”

Said Ross: “Nobody likes to get hit over and over again and by the same group. I can't predict the future, but the past would represent something, not much change, I would say.”

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