KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This was not the kind of long toss a major league pitcher normally makes.
Pitchers generally limber up their arms with long tosses in the outfield before games, but Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer saved his long throw for the fifth inning of Sunday's baseball game against the Kansas City Royals.
Bauer, frustrated during a 9-6 loss to the Royals and about to be removed from the game by Indians manager Terry Francona, turned around on the pitching mound and fired a baseball over the center-field wall, MLB.com reported.
Bauer was being removed after allowing eight runs -- seven earned -- and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. He made his throw as Francona stepped out of the dugout.
Francona appeared upset at Bauer's display of anger and pointed toward the dugout, ESPN reported. Bauer put his hand on his chest as if to say "my bad," as Francona met him, the sports network reported.
After the game, Bauer apologized for his actions.
“First and foremost, I owe a sincere apology to all of my teammates, my coaching staff, the organization and all of our fans for how I conducted myself today. It’s unbecoming," Bauer told reporters. "It was childish, unprofessional. There’s no place for it in the game. I’m happy it didn’t result in any physical injury for anybody else. I realize I put people in danger."
It's not the first time a pitcher has launched a baseball into the stands.
In 1986, New York Yankees pitcher Dave Righetti heaved the baseball over the right-field wall at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium in 1986 after allowing a key home run, according to ESPN.
In 1991, Cincinnati Reds reliever Rob Dibble was fined and suspended for four games for throwing a ball into the center-field stands, MLB.com reported.
In 2002, Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Byung-Hyun Kim threw the ball onto the netting at Yankee Stadium's Monument Park in left-center field after getting the final out of the game, according to ESPN.
Francona said his discussion with Bauer on the mound was "just between us," MLB.com reported.
“Shoot. We certainly discussed it, as we should, and he talked to the team," Francona told reporters. "I don’t ever want to. I mean, today was a frustrating day. He did it out of frustration. I don’t want to say something that I don’t mean out of frustration."
Bauer said he apologized to his teammates, noting that his intensity "completely consumed me."
“I want to be clear that my frustrations were with myself and my inability to stop the situation and keep my team in the game," Bauer told reporters. "It was not directed at any of my teammates, even though I know that it came off that way. I love going to battle with my guys every day, and today I feel like I really let them down, both personally and professionally.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for how I behaved. I’ll be better about it. It won’t happen again.”