KANSAS CITY, Mo.
The rivalry forged in a flash across a long weekend as July flipped to August, as the Royals turned their eyes toward October, as the Blue Jays transformed into a sudden contender. For four days and nights in Toronto, the two clubs bludgeoned one another, culminating in hit batsmen, hurt feelings and hurled insults.
The most cutting emerged from the mouth of Edinson Volquez, the starter on that last day, Aug. 2. He referred to Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson, who objected to Volquez hitting him with a pitch and still throwing inside later, as “a little baby.