Trevor Megill beef shows Blue Jays have entered a different tier after World Series

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Milwaukee Brewers used to have a pretty good rivalry. They were division rivals back in the old American League East up until the introduction of the Central Division in 1994, and then the Brewers joined the National League in 1998, effectively ending that rivalry. But with the way the schedule is set in this era of baseball, and everybody playing each other at least once, that rivalry might be renewed a little bit - especially in the wake of what happened during Thursday afternoon's (Apr. 16) game in Milwaukee.

During the Brewers 2-1 win, sparks started flying in the top of the eighth when Trevor Megill did something the Blue Jays didn't like, he rubbed a baseball on is pants. That's technically against the rules as, in an effort to curb the issue of pitchers rubbing any kind of illegal substance on the ball, pitchers aren't allowed to put the ball directly onto their clothing.

Once he did it, the Blue Jays dugout made it very clear to the umpiring staff, and to Megil, that they weren't fond of this action, and he was given another ball to work with. He then precisely went to work, carving up the Blue Jays in order in the eighth, getting Tyler Heineman to flyout, then striking out Davis Schneider and Daulton Varsho to end the inning - and that's when things got really intense.

Megil stared down the Blue Jays dugout and mouthed a few choice words in the direction of Blue Jays manager John Schneider and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who was on deck. Guerrero answered back, and Megil then threw up his hand in a "keep talking" gesture while he went into the dugout. Schneider came out of his dugout to say a few words to the home plate umpire.

Megil silences Blue Jays yapping with back-to-back punchouts

After the game Schneider told reporters, "As a person you don't appreciate when another grown man yells what he did in your face. So, you just kind of react in the moment....So, heat of the moment. No big deal."

But it was a big deal for Megil and the Brewers. A vindication of sorts for Megil after he blew a save in the series opener on Tuesday. He allowed three earned runs to score in the top of the ninth in what became a Blue Jays win in extra innings. He bore the brunt of that loss and may have also lost his spot as the closer, as he wasn't asked to pitch in the ninth during Wednesday's 2-1 win and his appearance on Thursday came in the eighth inning, while Angel Zerpa shut the door in the ninth.

But that's the kind of reaction the Blue Jays should be expecting from everyone this season. The Blue Jays were American League champions and came within inches of winning the World Series. They have a target on their backs now and everyone is coming for them - even if they aren't in the same league as the NL Brewers, they are still seen as an upper tier team that people want to see fail.

So for the Blue Jays, they should be anticipating more of this as the season goes on, especially if opponents are going to be able to silence their bats on a nightly basis. It just adds more fuel to the fire and the only way the Blue Jays can fight back is by providing a few fireworks of their own - by launching the baseball and winning ball games.

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