Garza apologizes for Twitter rant directed at opponent’s wife

Ben Margot/AP

Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Garza crosses the line with Twitter rant directed at Eric Sogard’s wife.

Rangers pitcher Matt Garza took exception to Oakland playing small ball on Saturday and launched into a Twitter rant against the wife of one of the A’s players.

On Sunday, Garza offered up an apology to A’s infielder Eric Sogard and his wife, Kaycee.

“All I want to say is I let my competitive spirit cross outside the lines, and that shouldn’t happen,” Garza said. “I let my passion, my fire carry over, and that’s not how this game should be played. And for that I apologize to the Sogards for anything that was said through my Twitter. That’s all I have. I regret what happened, and I’m just looking forward to a great game today.”

Garza, who lost for the first time since June 11 as the A’s got the best of Texas, 4-2, declined to answer any questions after he gave the statement in person to the media.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Eric Sogard gets Matt Garza fired up by dropping down a safety squeeze in the seventh on Saturday.

Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine said Garza’s tweets “crossed the line.”

“Those are not sentiments condoned by the team,” Levine said. “When we acquired him, we knew, appreciated and were excited about the fire and passion he displays on the field when he is pitching and in the dugout supporting his teammates. Our sincere hope is that is where it stays.”

Garza got fired up during Saturday’s game when Sogard drove in an insurance run with a safety squeeze in the seventh. He was seen yelling at Sogard after the play and joked after the game: “I asked him if there were any good places to eat in Oakland.”

Sogard’s wife tweeted during the game: “Get em on get em over and get em in!”

Ben Margot/AP

Alberto Callaspo celebrates scoring insurance run on Eric Sogard’s sacrifice bunt.

Although Garza’s tweets are protected, ESPN Dallas reported two of Garza’s milder tweets.

“@KayceeSogard tell your husband to speak up so his wife doesn’t have to do it for him … Chumps! … Hahaha!”

He added: “certain people can’t shut there woman up!”

Sogard and his wife took the high road.

“(Kaycee) just thought it was a joke. She took it off her shoulders quickly, wasn’t offended by it really,” Sogard said. “We just kind of laughed about it. We took it as a joke, and that’s how we’ll continue to look at it.”