Lynn, White Sox coach get heated in dugout
Chicago White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn and third base coach Joe McEwing were caught on the broadcast getting into a heated argument in the dugout during Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers.
Lance Lynn got into a verbal spat with White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing between innings pic.twitter.com/nJhtutPEEI
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 14, 2022
The 35-year-old right-hander made his 2022 debut Monday after missing the start of the campaign due to a torn knee ligament sustained during spring training.
Lynn began the game allowing three straight hits, including a leadoff homer to Willi Castro.
At the time of the altercation, the Tigers had just taken a 3-2 lead into the top of the third inning. Through two frames, the veteran starter had given up seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Lynn downplayed the dispute postgame, insisting their beef was merely the result of their differing preferences of cut.
"He was trying to get me going," Lynn said, according to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. "He kept telling me that filet is better than ribeye. I'm more of a ribeye and potatoes guy. He's a filet and like, Caesar salad. I just told him he was wrong, and then he went back to coaching third."
The two-time All-Star wound up holding the Tigers to three runs, allowing 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings while striking out four in the no-decision. The White Sox won the game 9-5.
Manager Tony La Russa believes Lynn was merely upset with his own performance.
"He was mad at himself because he made a horse manure pitch," La Russa said, according to Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports. "A lot of guys thought it was because of positioning ... I could read his lips. He was mad because he didn't make the pitch. Joe cleared it up and then we moved on. He's never going to blame a coach. You talk about accountability, he's one of the best."
McEwing is the second White Sox coach to recently find himself at the center of controversy after La Russa made the controversial decision last week to walk Trea Turner on two strikes in order to face Max Muncy, who hit a three-run homer. Since then, Chicago fans have been heard chanting "Fire Tony."
Entering the campaign with postseason expectations, the underperforming White Sox sit third in the AL Central at 28-31, six games back of the Minnesota Twins.