For maybe the first time ever, a bunt leads to cleared benches between Blue Jays, Rays

The New York Mets have been the talk of the town to begin this season with Jeff McNeil getting very upset with Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins after Hoskins slid into second base late on Opening Day. Benches cleared, although no rules were broken and no ejections were issued.

Well, just one day later we have yet another benches-clearing incident, this time between a pair of division rivals. The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays were in the midst of the third game of their season-opening four-game series. Tampa Bay was up 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning before things got really interesting.

A safety squeeze by Jose Caballero with a runner on third and two outs forced Blue Jays third baseman Justin Turner to make a tough throw. He threw it very wide of first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., not only allowing a run to score, but allowing the speedy Caballero to attempt to make it all the way to third.

George Springer would throw him out with a strong throw to third base, but it was at the hot corner where fireworks erupted. Blue Jays pitcher Genesis Cabrera seemed to slow Caballero down after he had run past the base, and something was said that set the pitcher off. Cabrera shoved Caballero, leading to the benches clearing and Cabrera's ejection.

An innocent-looking bunt leads to a benches-clearing brawl and an ejection

What was said is unclear, but it's a bit bizarre to see Caballero so upset initially, and see Cabrera shove him like he did. It seemed as if Cabrera had Caballero's best interests in mind initially, but Caballero clearly felt differently and that led to things escalating.

Not only did the Blue Jays lose their second game in a row following an impressive Opening Day victory, but they might've lost Cabrera, an important reliever for them, if he gets suspended.

Cabrera pitched extremely well for the Blue Jays, posting a 2.66 ERA in 29 appearances after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Cardinals. Losing him, even if it's only for a game or two, would be a big blow as Toronto is already without their two best relievers, Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson, who are on the Injured List to begin the season.

What this teaches us is just about anything can set a player off at any given moment. Even an innocent-looking bunt like the one we just saw.