During the Colorado Rockies’ 2-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg faced backlash after making a disrespectful gesture towards the fans. As the Rockies led 1-0, Carrigg made an attempt to catch Michael Harris II’s fly ball, but missed, resulting in a two-run double that put Atlanta ahead. Braves fans reacted vocally, and Carrigg responded by flipping off the stands.
Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer publicly criticized Carrigg’s behavior, stating that Carrigg would not be starting for a few days as a consequence. Schaeffer remarked, “Cole made a mistake, and he knows that is an embarrassment to the organization and that we don’t stand for that. Listen, everybody makes mistakes. It is just one that he has to learn from. It is just that we will not put up with that here.”
Despite being sidelined from Sunday’s starting lineup, Carrigg participated in the series finale as a pinch hitter, where he went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, later continuing to play in center field and shortstop. Carrigg accepted responsibility for his actions, stating, “First, I apologize to my teammates and the organization, that’s not how I want to represent us. That’s inexcusable on my part.”
Carrigg expressed his commitment to playing passionately, saying, “With that being said, I’m somebody who’s going to play at 110 percent every game and give my all to this team and to the game to try to win ballgames. That was a play that I felt could or could not have won the game, so I’m very passionate about that.”
Respecting the dedication of Braves fans, Carrigg acknowledged, “Braves fans are pretty passionate themselves. Kudos to them. But that gesture can’t happen.” Carrigg’s acknowledgment of the situation demonstrates his willingness to learn from his mistakes and continue growing in his career.