If there is a Cy Young Award for Twitter, it may have to go to the Dodgers.
The Dodgers weren't playing the Cubs last night, but that didn't stop the person running their Twitter feed from throwing shade at the Chicago franchise.
The Cubs have walked Bryce Harper 16 times in 33 plate appearances this season, which includes back in May when the reigning unanimous NL MVP reached base an MLB-record seven times without getting an official at-bat. Joe Maddon's club walked Harper six times and he was hit by a pitch on that fateful day.
Los Angeles ace, three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP Clayton Kershaw, fanned Harper on three pitches in the first inning of Monday's game. That's when things got fun on Twitter with the Dodgers subtweeting the Cubs:
When you don't have to walk him.
pic.twitter.com/sFR8NaNR1I— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 21, 2016
Overall, Harper went 1-for-4 on the night, but was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts against Kershaw. The Cubs noticed the tweet and couldn't help but respond in a playful manner:
@Dodgers When you catch that subtweet. pic.twitter.com/LjDeuEc7z1 — #VoteCubs (@Cubs) June 21, 2016
The Dodgers then finished off the exchange with another great tweet of their own:
@Cubs pic.twitter.com/poeylvLqQC
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 21, 2016
Maddon and left-hander Jon Lester have both defended their treatment of Harper thus far this season. Chicago enters Tuesday with an MLB-leading 2.67 staff ERA and 47-21 record, but are always careful against the Washington stud.
"It was a strategy in the game based on how they built their group," Maddon told ESPN back in May. "The best I way I can put it is, 'I didn't do anything to them.'"
Though Harper, 23, is always a dangerous threat, he's hitting just .255 this season. The outfielder has 14 homers and 42 RBIs, however, and slashed .333/.412/.533 in a four-game set against the Padres prior to the Nationals' 4-1 series-opening loss on Monday in Los Angeles.
Kershaw is now tied for the league lead with 11 wins and upped his MLB-best strikeout total to 141, while his ERA is a league-leading 1.57.
