Phillies-Rockies benches clear after Bryce Harper-Jake Bird spat: ‘Problem with it’

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper and Colorado Rockies pitcher Jake Bird were ejected for sparking a benches clearing skirmish during an afternoon Mother’s Day Game between the two teams.

Harper charged toward Bird after the pitcher appeared to trash talk after forcing Phillies shortstop Bryson Stott into the final out of the inning.

Bird also stuck his tongue out at the former MVP and clapped toward the Phillies’ dugout, where Harper — who was not on the field at the time of the out — initially was.

“I get emotion,” Harper told reporters after the game. “I understand getting fired up for an inning and stuff like that, but once you make it about a team or make it about yourself and the other team, that’s when I’ve kind of got a problem with it.”

Benches cleared following the exchange to end the top of the seventh inning as the Rockies led 4-0, but there were no fisticuffs outside of pushing and shoving.

Harper, who recently returned from Tommy John surgery, attempted to take on Rockies players while seemingly still less than 100 percent.

“After that point, I went out there just to go,” Harper said. “J.T. (Realmuto) was right behind me. Taijuan (Walker), same thing. I appreciate my teammates for coming out with me and doing that. It was the heat of the moment.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was also ejected.

“A guy yelling in your dugout? That shouldn’t happen,” Thomson said. “Flat-out, that shouldn’t happen.”

Harper continued talking as teammates and coaches restrained him, even afterwards once the general calamity settled.

This also came less than 24 hours after Harper slugged a two-run homer in what became a 7-4 win over the Rockies.

Once we got out there, (Bird) just flew into the dugout and went away,” Harper said. “Nobody really saw him after he did what he did.”

The Rockies subsequently won the game 4-0, avoiding a road sweep for the Phillies, who won the previous two games in Colorado.

“I get a little emotional on the mound sometimes,” said Bird, who added his comments toward the dugout weren’t directed at anyone in particular. “It’s a good team. It was a big moment. I got a little emotional out there. They took exception to it.”

“He’s a great player,” Bird said of Harper. “He plays with emotion. I love that he plays with emotion. He’s a player I look up to.”

— with AP