On Friday night, Rays hurler David Price returned the favor on behalf of his teammate.
Price plunked Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira on the hand in the first inning with two outs and nobody on base. The Yankees went on to lose 13-4, and Teixeira exited the game in the fourth inning.
Teixeira, who is tied with Pena for the AL lead in home runs (39), may not be the only one thinking that there was some intent behind the pitch. Of course, he'd never admit it.
"That's for you to decide and ask him," he told the New York Post.
Not counting Friday night's game, the two squads faced each other four times after Pena was hit, so it seems unlikely that Price would wait almost a month to retaliate. But it is hard to believe that the young flame-thrower with pinpoint control struck Teixeira, of all people, completely by accident.
Fortunately, Teixeira fared better than Pena after being hit; he didn't break any bones and he should be available to play on Saturday night.
