MLB fans react as Madison Bumgarner fires expletive-laden taunt at Willson Contreras before walking him: "This is a fight I’d love to see"

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner and St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras won't be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon.

Bumgarner and Contreras got into a brouhaha during the latter's third-inning at-bat Wednesday. Contreras smacked a particularly forceful foul ball to the backstop and Bumgarner apparently took exception to his leaving the batter's box.

The Diamondbacks veteran launched an expletive-laden taunt at the Cardinals newcomer, which set the two players into a verbal sparring match. Arizona catcher Jose Herrera stepped in as the two teams prepared for war.

Cooler heads prevailed, and the at-bat continued as Madison Bumgarner eventually walked Willson Contreras — who responded with a grandstanding flip of his bat.

Contreras came around to score in a four-run inning that knocked Bumgarner out of the contest.

Madison Bumgarner, a one-time San Francisco Giants staff ace, is falling off the table this season. The 15-year MLB veteran, in his fourth season with the Diamondbacks, saw his ERA balloon to 10.26 through four starts.

The four-time All-Star, who is approaching his 33rd birthday, is in the fourth season of a five-year, $85 million free-agent contract he signed with the Diamondbacks prior to the 2020 season.

He was brought on board to lend veteran leadership to a young Arizona ballclub, but his tenure in the desert has been largely a disaster. He is 15-31 with a 5.10 ERA in four-plus seasons with the Diamondbacks entering Wednesday. In 11 years with the Giants, he was 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA.

Warning: NSFW Language

Madison Bumgarner's clash with Willson Contreras is just the latest chapter of a previously successful, yet fiery MLB tenure for the former first-round pick.

Bumgarner is a long way from his best season of 2014. That year, he went 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA and won both the National League Championship Series and World Series MVP as the Giants claimed their third title of his time with the team.

Willson Contreras, on the other hand, is beginning to thrive with the Cardinals after a slow start. A career .256 hitter in seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Contreras boosted his average into the .270s with his series against the Diamondbacks.

St. Louis signed Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million contract this past winter.

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Willson Contreras got the better of Madison Bumgarner as Cardinals avoid sweep by Diamondbacks

Willson Contreras #40 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after hitting an RBI double against the Arizona Diamondbacks

Contreras' efforts on Wednesday helped the Cardinals avoid being swept by the Diamondbacks in St. Louis for the first time since Arizona entered the league in 1998.

The Cards will take on the Seattle Mariners next on April 22.