Washington Nationals center fielder Victor Robles. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)
Nationals outfielder Victor Robles responded to Madison Bumgarner calling him a “clown” by showing up the next day wearing a clown nose.
The weekend’s events in Arizona just proved that Madison Bumgarner needs to lighten up and Victor Robles has a wonderful sense of humor.
Bumgarner celebrated his well-earned victory on Saturday night over the Nationals by starting a feud with Robles by calling him a “clown” for celebrating his eighth-inning home run in a blowout.
So Robles played into the image on Sunday by wearing a clown nose in the dugout.
Look: Victor Robles trolls Madison Bumgarner after pitcher called him a clown
That’s Robles getting the last laugh in a dispute that shouldn’t have ever been a thing.
Here’s the crime Robles committed to get on Bumgarner’s badside.
“He’s a clown, golly,” Bumgarner said, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. “No shame. No shame. It’s 7-1. You hit your third homer of the year and you act like Barry Bonds breaking the record. Clean it up.”
Why was Bumgarner so sensitive about a meaningless moment in the 7-2 game? It was Robles’ third home run of the year and he plays for a bad team that continues to ship off its best players. He’s gotta find joy in the game somehow. Anyone who says any player shouldn’t celebrate a home run is out of whack.
Even before he pulled out the clown nose, Robles didn’t take the criticism lying down.
“When he’s pitching well, he’s able to celebrate and do what he likes to do. It seems like he calls everybody a clown that actually has a big hit or home run against him,” Robles said through an interpreter, per Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post. “If he doesn’t want anyone hitting a home run against him or having any issue with that, then just strike people out or make better pitches to where he doesn’t have to worry about that.”