Cardinals' Molina says feud with Cubs' Bryant will carry into season

Yadier Molina isn't going to let Kris Bryant off that easy.

Three days after the St. Louis Cardinals catcher called Bryant and former Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster "stupid players and losers" on Instagram after they characterized the city of St. Louis as "boring" and undesirable, he added more fuel to the fire in the rivalry between the two clubs.

"Oh, it will. It will carry (into the season)," Molina told MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch on Monday when asked if the beef with Bryant and the Cubs would continue. "I can't wait to get on the field."

The 36-year-old Molina has spent his entire 15-year MLB career with the Cardinals, which he said led to his passionate response.

"St. Louis is home," Molina continued. "If anybody says anything bad about my home, I'm going to be there for us. I said to the guys, 'We are like a family. We have to stick together. We have to defend ourselves, and we have to defend our ground.' Whoever says something about us, we are going to be there to defend us."

The first contest between the Cubs and Cardinals in 2019 is scheduled for May 3 in Chicago.