TORONTO – Don’t expect to see the bad blood between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays boil over during the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
The top two teams in the American League are set to open the best-of-seven series in Kansas City Friday night in what is expected to be an intense, emotional ALCS.
Both teams reached a boiling point the last time they faced each other in early August during a four-game series in Toronto.
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Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez hit Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson with a pitch in the first inning, prompting the home plate umpire to issue warnings to both clubs. Volquez threw a high, inside pitch again on Donaldson’s next at-bat, then plunked Toronto shortstop Troy Tulowitzki but remained in the game.
Benches cleared later in the game after Blue Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez hit Royals’ Alcides Escobar with a pitch. Sanchez was ejected from the game.
Words were also exchanged between the two teams via a post-game press conference where Volquez referred to Donaldson as “a little baby.”
However, what happened in August is in the past and both teams seem to agree on it.
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“Even though we had some issues in the past, I think both teams are going to be focusing on the game,” Royals outfielder Alex Rios told reporters Thursday night. “I don’t there will be any monkey business.”
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons echoed Rios’ remarks.
“I’m sure everybody is aware, but I don’t think it’s really a focal point,” Gibbons said Thursday. “It happened so long ago and right now to, so much is at stake…I don’t anticipate any of that.”
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But don’t expect to see either team change the way they pitch.
“Do I expect people to get hit? Yeah probably because they got an aggressive pitching staff that likes to throw in,” Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar explained to reporters. “We got guys who like to throw in as well but I can’t imagine anyone trying to hurt anyone.”
The Blue Jays are sending Marco Estrada to the mound Friday night to face off against the hard throwing Volquez, while David Price gets the start in Game 2 on Saturday.
–with files from The Canadian Press
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