Atlanta Braves bench coach Eddie Perez is under investigation by Major League Baseball for his role in an argument with New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., The Athletic and the New York Daily News reported Sunday.
During the Yankees’ 12-9 win over the host Braves on Saturday, Chisholm was leading off second base and apparently angered Perez by relaying the pitcher’s sign for a fastball to Anthony Volpe at the plate. Volpe flew out to the warning track and Chisholm advanced to third, where Perez began shouting at him and pointing at his own head.
“I know they were saying some things that will probably be looked at, and should be,” manager Aaron Boone said postgame. Asked whether Perez said the Braves should throw at Chisholm’s head, Boone answered, “I don’t know exactly what was said, but they were talking about stuff like that.”
Perez claimed in remarks to MLB.com that he was telling Chisholm to “think” and “be smart.”
“I like that guy. He’s one of my favorites,” Perez said. “And he got mad about it. I don’t know why he got mad about it. So, I was like, ‘Take it easy’, and he started doing some (stuff).”
Perez began coaching with the Braves in 2007 and began a second stint in 2014 after two years managing a winter league team in his native Venezuela.
Chisholm, acquired by New York at last year’s trade deadline, spent the first four-plus seasons of his MLB career with the Miami Marlins, one of Atlanta’s heated National League East rivals.
Chisholm went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Braves. He’s batting .249 with 17 homers and 45 RBIs in 68 games this season.