Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles had the perfect response to Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner. Less than 24 hours after Bumgarner called him “a clown,” Robles wore a clown nose in the dugout during Sunday’s series finale.
Robles had a full experience on Saturday night. He hit a bunt single. Then, he stole a base after being picked out. Later, he seemingly knocked the wind out of himself making a diving attempt for a flyball. He capped off his night with a solo home run off Bumgarner in the eighth inning.
Robles got all of it as he watched it sail over the left field.
The home run was just Robles’ third of the season. Following a 7-2 win by the Diamondbacks, Bumgarner expressed his displeasure for Robles enjoying his rare homer.
“The guy’s a clown, golly,” Bumgarner said. “No shame, no shame. It’s 7-1 you hit your third homer of the year and you act like Barry Bonds breaking the record. Clean it up. I don’t care about giving up the run. Hell, we won 7-2, 8-2 whatever it was. That’s frustrating. I’m the old grumpy guy I know, but that type of stuff that didn’t use to happen.”
This isn’t the first time Bumgarner has tried to be the fun police of baseball. Back when he played for the San Francisco Giants, he didn’t like Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy admiring his first-inning home run that he sent into McCovey Cove in San Francisco.
When Victor Robles heard of Bumgarner comments, he expressed how hypocritical the four-time All-Star sounded.
“When he’s pitching well, he’s able to celebrate and do what he likes to do,” Robles said Saturday night, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. “It seems like he calls everybody a clown that actually has a big hit or home run against him. If he doesn’t want anyone hitting a home run against him or having any issues with that, then just strike people out or make better pitches to where he doesn’t have to worry about that.”
Apparently Robles’ verbal response wasn’t enough. Thus on Sunday, he made sure to illustrate his response to Bumgarner.
The “unwritten rules” have turned off younger fans in recent years. Meanwhile, some older fans may agree with Bumgarner. But there is so much that goes into getting a hit in baseball. Robles has struggled just as much as the last-placed Nationals.
He’s hitting .236 on the season. His struggles on the field have been well-documented by those who follow the Nationals. So, for him to have a great game is noteworthy regardless of the score.
Because of the “unwritten rules” and the fact Bumgarner cares to enforce them, it will be interesting to see how things play out the next time he faces Robles in a game.
