Torey Lovullo Emphatically Denies Hitting Bobby Witt Jr. Intentionally

Ejected after Gabriel Moreno was hit in retaliation, Lovullo spoke clearly after the game addressing any intent.

Jul 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) talks with umpire Brian O'Nora (7) during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected Monday night, after becoming embroiled in an argument with the umpiring crew over a beanball war that broke out. The Diamondbacks lost the game 10-4.

The Setup:

Bobby Witt Jr. was having a fantastic night. He came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning having already hit a triple, a double and a homer. The fans at Kauffman stadium were on their feet with anticipation, hoping to see a cycle.

Instead D-backs reliever Humberto Castellanos threw a pitch up and in that hit Witt on the arm. Understandably, the fans and the Royals' bench and on deck hitter Salvador Perez especially, were angry, and felt it was intentional.

Lovullo insisted it was not intentional and that he did not speak to Perez directly. He expressed a great deal of praise for Witt as being the future of the game, and said that he would never call for him to be hit.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo explains what led up to his ejection, including on-the-field comments to #Royals catcher Salvador Perez.

The ejection came after the Diamondbacks and Royals hit batters with pitches in back-to-back innings, one with Bobby Witt Jr. near a cycle. pic.twitter.com/dzQW8VWUMn

— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) July 23, 2024

The next half inning D-backs catcher Gabriel Moreno was hit in the back, clearly a case of retaliation with intent. Lovullo's argument was that if the umpires felt that Castellanos had hit Witt intentionally then they should have ejected him immediately. Instead they issued warnings to both benches and that's when Lovullo came out to argue.

The Royals retaliated for the Diamondbacks hitting Bobby Witt Jr. and the umps warned both dugouts

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was HEATED and got ejected, Salvador Perez had some strong words in the exchange too pic.twitter.com/2m1lr9djfn

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 23, 2024

Opinion

I have covered Torey Lovullo since 2018. He has been steadfast in his aversion to beanballs and intentionally hitting batters. I've had conversations with him both in media scrums and one on one about this topic. It's a part of the game he doesn't like. He's never wavered from this position, and it's unlikely that he would have tonight. The words he spoke in the video link above rang true to this reporter.