“Shut the f**k up” - Boston Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta had some choice words for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after hitting Alejandro Kirk with a pitch 

Things got heated between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays tonight after Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta hit Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk on the elbow with a pitch.

It was the bottom of the third inning. Kirk came up to bat with two outs and a runner on second base. Pivetta's first-pitch offering was a heater inside. It caught Kirk's extended elbow right on the bone with an audible plunk.

Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo came out of the dugout. He was pointing toward Kirk and home plate. He wanted to make sure his catcher was okay. Pivetta looked on, annoyed with both himself for hitting Kirk and for the delay.

Kirk didn't immediately react as strongly as Pivetta. With his signature even demeanor, he turned toward the dugout and started removing his batting gear. Pivetta yelled an expletive that the broadcast's audio picked up.

Apparently, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. thought that Pivetta was yelling at Kirk. He stood up in the dugout and began exchanging some words with Pivetta. Frustrated, Pivetta turned toward the Blue Jays dugout and told Guerrero Jr. to "shut the f— up."

That didn't go over well with the rest of the team. Guerrero exited the dugout and started marching toward the mound. Pivetta advanced toward Guerrero, still shouting. Rafael Devers raced across the infield to restrain him. Several more Blue Jays came out of the dugout to hold back Guerrero.

"Benches clear in the Blue Jays vs. Red Sox game" - @Jomboy Media

Several beat writers present at the game testified about Pivetta's choice words for Guerrero. There were no sources to confirm what Guerrero said, but lip-reading seemed to reveal that he returned the choice words.

Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox clear dugouts in a bench-clearing brawl after Nick Pivetta hits Alejandro Kirk with a pitch

Boston Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta holds a 3.25 earned-run average this season

At the time of writing, Nick Pivetta has thrown six innings and allowed five hits and two runs in tonight's game. He's been enjoying better success this season than he has in previous ones. The Canadian-born's 3.25 earned-run average is his sharpest in all six seasons of his MLB career thus far.

It's easy to understand how tensions could be high between the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays tonight. The Boston Red Sox have lost two straight games to the Jays. They're just half a game behind them in the standings for the American League East's second-place position.

Currently, it's the seventh inning, and the Red Sox are winning 3-2.