The Yankees and Orioles wrapped up their three-game series with a 5–4 Baltimore win on Wednesday night, but the real fireworks came in the fourth inning when tensions boiled over into a brief benches-clearing incident.
It started when Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad stole second base and collided with Yankees second baseman Pablo Reyes, who leapt to catch a high throw from catcher Austin Wells and came down on Kjerstad’s head and neck area. Words were exchanged, and before long, players from both dugouts and bullpens rushed onto the field.
"I'm telling you, the run from the bullpen is one of the most ridiculous things. No one's thrown a punch. No one's said a curse word. But they all had to run from the 410-foot mark."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 1, 2025
Michael Kay after the Yankees and Orioles had a brief bench-clearing incident. pic.twitter.com/SEAxV2a2ie
The scuffle didn’t escalate beyond some heated words and posturing, but it was enough for Yankees announcer Michael Kay to call it out.
“I’m telling you, the run from the bullpen is one of the most ridiculous things,” Kay said during the broadcast and added, “No one’s thrown a punch. No one’s said a curse word. But they all had to run from the 410-foot mark.”
Kay’s comments are not out of the blue. The bullpen sprint has become a theatrical but largely unnecessary tradition in baseball. By the time the relievers arrived, the situation had already calmed down.
Heston Kjerstad No Stranger To Tensions With Yankees
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This wasn’t the first time Kjerstad found himself at the center of a Yankees-Orioles dust-up. Last July, he was hit in the head by a pitch from then-Yankees closer Clay Holmes, leading to a more serious benches-clearing incident and a stint on the concussion list for Kjerstad.
Despite the mid-game drama, the Orioles held on for the win, taking two of three games in the series. The Yankees, now 18–13, remain in the thick of the AL East race, while the Orioles improved to 12–18, hoping to build momentum after a slow start to the season.
As for the rivalry, it’s clear the tension between these two clubs isn’t going away anytime soon. But maybe next time, the bullpens can save themselves the jog!
