BOSTON — Matt Barnes still has no love for Manny Machado.
The two found themselves at the center of a nasty feud between the Red Sox and Orioles last season, and it sure doesn't sound like they've made up.
The fireworks in '17 started when Machado spiked Dustin Pedroia with a slide that was reckless at best, and two days later, Barnes threw at the superstar in retaliation and received a four-game suspension.Â
Now a Dodger, Machado returns to Fenway Park for the World Series. Pedroia will be watching the games from the dugout. The Red Sox haven't forgotten why.
"You're talking about a play in which Pedey still hasn't played since then, really," Barnes said. "When you take out a captain, a leader of a team, that's not going to sit well with anybody. It kind of is what it is. You move on. I don't see anything happening, I really don't, but it doesn't mean that we've forgotten about it."
Machado was at it again in the NLCS. The lightning rod was fined for kicking Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar on a routine groundball in Game 4.
"Honestly I'm not surprised about that. It just kind of seems like it's a trend," Barnes said. "But our job is to go win a World Series. Everything aside, that's it. I think the sweetest revenge would be to win a World Series and celebrate with them watching."
After the kick, Milwuakee's Christian Yellich and Travis Shaw blasted Machado as a dirty player. Safe to say that's a sentiment shared by some people around the league?
"Yeah.... maybe," Barnes said.
Chris Mason is a Red Sox beat writer for the Eagle-Tribune and CNHI Sports Boston. Email Chris at cmason@eagletribune.com and follow him on Twitter at @bychrismason
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