Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander gave the middle finger to Philadelphia Phillies fans on Monday and wanted to make sure they knew it was just for a laugh.
A video captured Verlander flipping off Phillies fans from the Astros’ team bus and then doing it again upon exiting the vehicle. In both cases, he was smiling, and Phillies fans could be heard laughing about the gesture.
Oh hey, here’s @JustinVerlander entering the Citizens Bank Park for Game 3 of the World Series and flipping the bird to Phillies fans not once but TWICE. #GoPhillies #GoPhils #Philly #Philadelphia #Phillies @barstoolsports @BarstoolPhilly @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/K1BByHAorY
— Darren ™ (@darren04) October 31, 2022
Verlander later replied to the person responsible for sharing the video online.
“Whole interaction was in jest as all the fans around you were just saying hello in their native tongue. So I responded in kind,” the two-time Cy Young winner wrote before posting laughing emojis.
“All in good fun. I enjoyed the banter.”
Verlander pitched against the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series in Houston and is lined up to take the hill for a Game 5 start in Philadelphia on Thursday.
