Felix Hernandez robs Adrian Beltre of a hit, tosses ball back to him

Despite the fact that they now play on different teams, Felix Hernandez and Adrian Beltre are actually good friends. The two spent four seasons together with the Seattle Mariners, so the fact that they remain close shouldn’t come as a surprise.

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Now that Beltre plays for the Texas Rangers, the two have developed quite the playful rivalry. Felix has touched Beltre’s head, argued with him on the field and even accidentally caused Beltre to be thrown out of a game.

The two have always kept it friendly, but their encounters can be intense. So, when one of them makes a highlight-worthy play against the other, you can expect plenty of trash talk.

That was the case Sunday. Beltre stepped to the plate in the fifth inning looking for a hit off his old nemesis. For a split-second, it looked like Beltre would get his wish.

On the third pitch of the at-bat, Beltre lined one back up the middle. Hernandez reacted quickly, however, snagging the liner in his glove immediately. 

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Knowing that he had bested his friend, Hernandez decided to toss the ball back to Beltre as he was walking down the first base line in disbelief. Beltre briefly stared Hernandez down, but eventually tossed the ball into the stands. There was no bad blood, just Hernandez jabbing Beltre after making an excellent play.

All in all, it made for a fun moment. Beltre is one of the more entertaining players in the game due to his on-field antics, and Hernandez seems like the type of player who always enjoys himself. Both can be intense competitors, and that’s probably where their respect for each other comes from. 

Hernandez may have gotten the better of this meeting, but Beltre could have easily said “see you in October” and wiped that smile off his face for a few days.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik