Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander appeared to have no patience for Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora and his one-upmanship on Tuesday night.
Verlander was dealing with a PitchCom issue and caused what appeared to be a pitch clock violation in the second inning of their matchup. Cora came out of the dugout during the delay to argue for an automatic ball. The microphones caught the tense exchange on the field.
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Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander reacts toward Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Aug. 22, 2023. (Troy Taormina-USA Today Sports)
“You shook him off five times,” Cora told Verlander.
Verlander replied, “I didn’t shake that at bat. F— off, Alex.”
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Houston won the game 7-3 behind six scoreless innings from Verlander. He struck out nine and allowed only five hits. He addressed the Cora spat after the game.
“In part it was just me being like, I’m done with this,” Verlander said. “You do what you want, talk to the umpire. I’m going to worry about pitching.”
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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora talks with home plate umpire Pat Hoberg as Astros pitcher Justin Verlander adjusts his PitchCom device at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Aug. 22, 2023. (Troy Taormina-USA Today Sports)
Verlander appeared to have settled down since the New York Mets traded him to the Astros. He lost his first outing since the trade when he pitched against the New York Yankees on Aug. 5. Since then, he’s received a winning decision. His nine strikeouts on Tuesday were the most since his return to Houston.
“Between the last start and this one, I felt like I really found something mechanically that answers a lot of questions for me,” he said. “I think the results were really good.”
Cora was later ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the seventh. It was his second ejection in three games.
Astros’ Justin Verlander throws against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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Kyle Tucker hit a two-run home run in the first inning off Tanner Houck.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
