Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton sends message to Tigers’ Mike Fiers in game, then after

Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton was hit by a pitch on Monday, June 4, 2018 (6/4/18) in the second game of a doubleheader with the Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich. by the same pitcher who shattered his face with an errant fastball in 2014.

DETROIT — It still makes Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton queasy thinking about the scariest night of his life.

The memories from being drilled in the left cheek just under his eye by an 88-mph fastball are about as painful as the pain itself was.

Everything came back in a flash Monday night when Stanton was plunked in the left forearm with a fastball in Game 2 of the Yankees’ day-night doubleheader split against the Detroit Tigers.

In the third inning of a 4-2 Yankees loss, Stanton instantly became furious because he was hit by righty Mike Fiers, the same pitcher who shattered his face with a pitch on Sept. 11, 2014 at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Then, Stanton left the field on a stretcher.

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This time, he angrily stared down Fiers, then shouted at him when starting a slow walk to first base.

“Get it over the plate,” Stanton screamed.

Fiers yelled back that it wasn’t on purpose.

Stanton didn’t care, and for a few seconds it appeared as if he might charge the mound and start a brawl. Tigers catcher John Hicks, in fact, tried to prevent things from escalating by stepping in front of Stanton.

“He wasn’t trying to hit me in that situation, but still with the history of what happened … don’t hit me,” Stanton said.

Stanton says he never was looking for a fight. He just wanted to deliver a strong verbal message to Fiers to stop pitching inside to him if he can’t throw strikes.

“You say what you need to say and give (the bat) to the next guy,” Stanton said. “Hopefully we can get some runs going and not stir up anything up that’s not going to help us win at the end of the day.”

Stanton got some revenge his next time up. Leading off the Yankees sixth, he mashed an 0-2 curveball deep into the left-field seats for a 456-foot homer that was celebrated with a take-that bat flip.

“It’s nice to act like there was nothing there, but …” Stanton said. “It was nice. A win would be better, but oh well.”

Fiers was with the Brewers and Stanton was a young star playing for the Miami Marlins when he suffered that gruesome, season-ending injury four seasons ago that led to plastic surgery and several dental procedures.

This deja vu night really bothered Stanton.

“If that happened before (and) you’re going to come in … make sure it doesn’t hit me,” Stanton said. “You’ve got to get it over the plate or make sure it doesn’t hit me.

“I’m not trying to stir this up. It is what it is obviously. When anything like that happens and another ball like that (hits you) … no matter how many years it is, you’re not going to be happy. I’m not going to just walk to first and everything is going to be OK.”

Stanton’s message was sent to Fiers – on the field and then later his post-game presser – and he’s hoping these were the last he’ll have to issue.

But the Yankees and Tigers do still have a series remaining in New York from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.

And what if Stanton and Fiers face each other again?

“We’ll get there when we get there,” Stanton said, “and if we are there (the hit by pitches) won’t matter.”

Unless, of course, Stanton is hit again.

This time Stanton somewhat controlled his anger.

“I think it’s a case of Giancarlo getting a serious injury and then getting hit,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I think just a little frustration.

“Getting hit hurts. It’s not fun, especially when you have a thought of a time when he really got you. So it brings up some memories and stuff, I’m sure.”

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.