D-backs’ Lovullo apologizes to Cardinals’ Molina for earlier altercation

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo apologized to St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina on Monday for an early-April altercation between the two that led to a one-game suspension for Lovullo.

More from #Dbacks Torey Lovullo/Yadier Molina summit. pic.twitter.com/aPU6QxxYiZ

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Lovullo was suspended after arguing balls and strikes with an umpire, which led to the altercation.

Molina took exception to Lovullo’s argument that included foul language, pointing at Molina and claiming the veteran catcher was turning balls into strikes. Molina moved toward Lovullo and the Arizona manager continued to make his argument, further upsetting Molina, who attempted to get past the umpire and confront the D-backs manager.

“He said a bad word to me and I reacted that way,” Molina said after the game, per the Associated Press. “He called me (it) twice. You can’t allow that.”

Lovullo said afterward that his poor word choice upset Molina and admitted he “probably took it too far.”

Before the game on Monday, Lovullo was seen having a minute-long conversation with Molina that ended in a fist bump between the two.

“Everything is in the past,” Molina said after the game. “I have a bunch of respect for him and the organization, so everything is good.”

After the game, Lovullo said the meeting went “good” between the two but would not divulge on the details of the discussion any further.

Lovullo said he had complimented Molina on his pitch-framing and that it didn’t have anything to do with why he was so upset.

“It had nothing to do with Yadi’s pitch-framing,” Lovullo said on April 10. “I just didn’t like the pitches that were called in this game, at that moment.”

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