BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – MAY 08: Starting pitcher Garrett Richards #43 of the Boston Red Sox throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 08, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Garrett Richards took things too far Thursday night by throwing at the head of Mark Canha.
Unwritten rules remain a part of baseball, for better or worse. One in particular that drives pitchers crazy is when batters lean into pitches to snag that free base. Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards witnessed Oakland A’s batter Mark Canha do just that Thursday night.
The lean-in attempt was unsuccessful, but Richards did not seem too pleased by the action. In fact, he decided to throw a pitch at Canha’s head immediately after.
Garrett Richards tries to headhunt Mark Canha
This is just ridiculous. Should Canha lean in like he did? He probably should not, but it doesn’t mean he should be beaned in the head right after. Canha could have been seriously injured all because Richards took this way too far.
Such a pitch is the heart of why unwritten rules become too much at times. Pitchers feel free to bean batters and no good comes from that. MLB also doesn’t want batters being knocked unconscious on the field in front of fans and a television audience.
The Red Sox also held a 7-0 lead at this point in the game. Richards just missing Canha, like he did on the prior pitch, was the only good thing about this entire sequence.
The Red Sox and A’s are two of the best teams in baseball and that means an October meeting could be in store later this year. This one pitch from Richards could be the start of a real rivalry in 2021.