HOUSTON – Alex Bregman, the Houston Astros star player, was simply Alex Bregman, showing off his booty, mixing a little behind, and the next thing everyone knew, his message on Instagram was the topic of conversation on more important Monday before game 3 of the American League League.

The third baseman of the Astros, who will face Nate Eovaldi, the starter of the Boston Red Sox, has broadcast a clip on his Instagram account. The Astros hit three homers in front of Eovaldi earlier this year while he was still with the Tampa Bay Rays.

It was a subtle dig similar to Aaron Judge, the Yankees hitter from New York, who played in front of the Red Sox clubhouse. New York, New YorkAfter defeating the Red Sox in the second game at Fenway Park in the AL Division series.

While Eovaldi and the Red Sox publicly insisted they were not offended by the clip, Astros manager A.J. Hinch was quick to tell Bregman to remove him from his account.

MORE MLB

"Obviously, there is a lot of fun," Hinch said. "You come back and you hear New York, New York in Boston in the New York series. You get different tweets and different Instagram posts, and everything is fun.

"And we have a sport full of personalities and the line is fine. Is it disrespectful? No. If he crosses a line, if you have to ask himself if he crosses the line, that's probably the case.

"And so I'm not looking further into that."

Alex Cora, the coach of the Red Sox, says at least that people are talking about this series and the game of baseball rather than the Monday night football Thu.

"It's always good that people talk about the game," said Cora, "and if that's the reason they're talking about it, so be it. But for my part, I do not pay attention to that …

"People are attentive, you know? The judge's thing was in every sports program, which is cool, I think. For example, we need more people to talk about the game. We are in a good time to be a baseball fan. I say that all season. You look at these two teams, you know, it's like, wow. I talked about talent.

"Alex Bregman is one of the best players in the big leagues. And now, well, they talk, not for the right reasons, but they talk about it.

"And I think it's cool."

Could it really motivate the Red Sox?

"If you need motivation in the third match of the ALCS," said Cora, "you'd better check yourself because you win three more games, you go to the show." is what should motivate you Alex has different ways to motivate himself And no matter, I'll leave it there.

The Astros, who arrived in Houston at 5 am, were not at work on Monday and Bregman was not available to comment. Yet, Eovaldi, who grew up in Nolan Ryan, Alvin, Texas, hometown, has publicly stated that he has no doubt about Bregman's idea of ​​having fun, trying to get into the skin, or both.

"I still have work to do," said Eovaldi, who has no social network, but was informed of the posting on Instagram. "I have to go and start my game, and I can not have any distractions."

Who knows, maybe the Red Sox and Eovaldi will have the last word, and they will leave Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night, they will play In the heart of Texas?

"I do not take it as a personal matter," said Cora. "I do not play anymore. When I was playing, I probably would have said, "Let's go," but I do not throw the ball. I do not need to hit. I do not make mistakes anymore. I just manage a team. ''

Let the show begin.