"Manoah would obliterate Cole" "Why does Gerrit Cole throw so many tantrums" - MLB Twitter mocks an angry Gerrit Cole charging out of dugout during Aaron Judge and Alek Manoah's verbal spat

Gerrit Cole found himself at the center of the action in the New York Yankees-Toronto Blue Jays game on Sunday, and he wasn't even playing. The Yankees ace had a few choice words for Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah in the fifth inning. After what appeared to be a malicious and dangerous pitch to Yankees' star Aaron Judge, Cole took action.

It was a heated and tense battle between the first- and second-place teams in the American League East. In a tight game with major playoff implications, tensions finally boiled over in the fifth inning.

When Manoah drilled Judge with a fastball with first base open, the Yankees had reason to be upset. MLB fans were quick to point out that Gerrit Cole was the first to come out of the dugout to get involved.

With a season-high 46 home runs this season, Aaron Judge has seen very little to hit over the past few weeks. Teams are working around him and pitching extra cautiously to the Yankees outfielder. Judge has only four home runs in his previous 19 games.

Since first base was open, Cole may have thought Manoah saw an opportunity to plunk Judge.

Frustrations boiled over for the Yankees and Gerrit Cole on Sunday after a poor second half of the season

Gerrit Cole blows a bubble in the dugout before the start of the game against the Minnesota Twins.

Manoah was asked about the pitch after the game and made it clear he didn't intend to hit Judge. He also had a strong message for Cole.

"I think if Gerrit wants to do something, he can walk past the Audi sign next time," said Manoah.

The Audi sign is a reference to the car brand's logo in front of the visiting team dugout. Manoah's message was a challenge for the Yankees ace.

Fans were disappointed with how Gerrit Cole conducted himself on this occasion. This is not the first time he has been the instigator during a game. He has a tendency to lose his cool.

The Yankees' current struggles may have led to some of Cole's frustrations. The team has now lost six straight series. They were 2-8 entering last night's game, and their lead over the Blue Jays had shrunk to seven games.

Aaron Judge defused the situation like a professional. He calmed the dugout and actioned for Cole to calm down.

Manoah is listed at 6'6" and 285 pounds. Gerrit Cole is 6'4" and 220 pounds. Aaron Judge is 6'7" and 282 pounds. It would've been very interesting to see what ensued if the benches had cleared.

The Yankees went on to win the game 4-2. In the seventh, Andrew Benintendi hit his first home run as a Yankee to help the team avoid a sweep by the Blue Jays.

New York is now eight games ahead of Toronto and the Tampa Bay Rays entering a critical two-game series versus the New York Mets. Cole will most likely not pitch in that series, but who knows? He might find a way to get himself involved in the action.