San Diego Padres' Zach Davies defends Fernando Tatis Jr. after grand slam
At least someone within the San Diego Padres clubhouse came to Fernando Tatis Jr.'s defense.
Zach Davies started Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers, which his team won 14-4 — highlighted by a controversial grand slam from shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who said he missed a take sign and proceeded to drill a 3-0 offering from Juan Nicasio. Davies, however, said he's not personally one to care much about the game's "unwritten rules."
“A lot of guys talk about unwritten rules of baseball, but you’re in the heat of the moment, you’re gonna try to get your pitch as a hitter and he didn’t miss,” the right-hander told reporters after the game.
“So you can’t really fault him for that, in my opinion. Some guys feel differently, but everybody has their own opinion on it."
The 27-year-old also offered some advice for those who may have been offended, a group that included his own manager Jayce Tingler.
"Make sure your 3-0 pitch is a little bit better," he said. "I’ve been hit on 3-0 and homers have been hit off me, maybe not in the same situation, but that’s something that everybody kind of has a little bit different opinion on.”
Davies is not the lone pitcher to support Tatis Jr.'s free-swinging mentality, as Eduardo Rodriguez of the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds' Trevor Bauer both tweeted positive messages.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.