The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals have a long history of intense rivalry, and the latest incident between the two teams is sure to add fuel to the fire. On April 15th, Cubs’ outfielder Ian Happ accidentally struck Cardinals’ catcher Willson Contreras with his bat while taking a swing in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The incident occurred when Happ was attempting to check his swing on a pitch from Cardinals’ starter Dakota Hudson. The bat slipped out of Happ’s hands and struck Contreras in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. Happ immediately apologized to Contreras, who was able to stay in the game after being checked out by the Cardinals’ medical staff.
The Cardinals were not happy about the incident, and they made their feelings known in the top of the seventh inning. Cardinals’ pitcher Ryan Helsley plunked Happ with a pitch, prompting both benches to clear. Happ and Helsley were both ejected from the game, and both teams were issued warnings by the umpires.
The incident is sure to add more tension to the already heated rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals. It remains to be seen if Major League Baseball will take any disciplinary action against either player, but it is clear that both teams will be keeping a close eye on each other for the remainder of the season.
