There was no radio silence from the Yankees on Monday, a day after comments made by Boston Red Sox play-by-play announcer Will Flemming added some fuel to the longtime rivalry.
In fact, several Yankees players went out of their way to openly criticize Flemming, calling him “unprofessional” and questioning why a radio voice would suggest a team throw at an opposing player.
Flemming, who works for Boston radio station WEEI, first called Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. a “bush league player” after he stole a pair of bases in the eighth inning of Sunday’s series finale in the Bronx with New York ahead 7-1. He then suggested to WEEI color analyst Will Middlebrooks that Red Sox left-hander Jovani Moran retaliate by beaning Yankees catcher Austin Wells, who was batting at the time.
Chisholm said he first learned of Flemming’s comments when he woke up Monday.
“They’re called unwritten rules because you’re not really breaking any rules,” the two-time All-Star told reporters ahead of the team’s series opener against the Angels in Anaheim, California. “You’ve seen teams -- actually them [last season] -- do the same thing where they’re pouring on runs. We didn’t have nothing to say or nothing to do about it.
“That’s just showing how unprofessional he is.”
Teammates Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodon were especially critical of Flemming suggesting hitting Wells should be the answer for Boston.
“He needs to stay out of that and not be telling people to throw at players and injure players,” Judge, the Yankees’ captain, told reporters. “That’s not what this game’s about.
“Not too happy hearing broadcasters talking about trying to injure or hurt players. He needs to clean that up.”
Added Rodon to The Athletic: “Pitch better. This is not the pat-on-your-back league, and we’re going to be nice to you. Everyone’s coming to take the food off your table, and they’re coming to take your money. That’s how this game is played. There are no nice guys.”
Flemming was not on Monday night’s WEEI broadcast of the Mariners-Red Sox game from Fenway Park, with MLB.com reporting that he was previously scheduled to be off this series. He did, however, take to social media to apologize for what he said, writing in part: “I meant no disrespect to the Yankees players or organization. I could and should have used different words. These rivalry games get me fired up; I apologize for letting the emotion of the moment get the best of me.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Flemming also apologized to him directly via a phone call Monday. Boone also added that it was his call -- not Chisholm’s -- for the second baseman to steal the bags since the Red Sox weren’t holding him on.
As for Chisholm, he said he hasn’t heard from Flemming and doesn’t really care to.
“I didn’t even know who that was until this morning,” he told reporters. “And I’m still not going to remember who he is after today.”
