Last updated: August 27, 2026 · Published: August 26, 2026
PHOENIX — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo picked up the phone Tuesday and apologized to Cubs skipper Craig Counsell, conceding his own coaches were wrong about the sign-stealing shouting match that erupted during Arizona’s 7-0 loss at Chase Field on Monday night.
The incident
| Incident | Dugouts shouting over sign stealing, Monday, Aug 24 |
| Key figure | Quintin Berry, Cubs third base coach |
| What Berry did | Spotted Merrill Kelly tipping his changeup and relayed it to runners at second |
| Kelly’s reaction | Stared Berry down, called it bush league |
| MLB’s clarification | Base coaches may relay signs while inside the coaching box |
| New 2026 rule | Coaches can’t leave the box once the pitcher is on the rubber |
| The apology | Lovullo called Counsell Tuesday: “we were wrong” |
| Counsell’s reply | “I think the world of Torey” |
How the dispute started
Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly was evidently tipping his pitches, and Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry picked up the tell and passed it to Chicago’s runners at second base, who relayed it to hitters. Broadcast cameras caught Diamondbacks bench coach Jeff Banister and pitching coach Brian Kaplan yelling at Berry, with Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty shouting back across the field. Kelly glared at Berry during the game and later called the move bush league for a third base coach. It’s a charge that doesn’t hold up under the rulebook, though the frustration was real: Kelly has allowed 12 runs over his last two outings, and the team is now reviewing video to fix the tell.
What MLB’s rules actually say
Before calling Counsell, Lovullo phoned Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president of on-field operations, for a rules clarification. The answer changed everything. Under a measure MLB introduced this season, base coaches must stay inside their coaching boxes once the pitcher is on the rubber — but from that spot, they’re free to pick up signs and relay them. “The third base coach and the first base coach can do whatever they want, as long as they are inside of the dimensions of the base coaching box,” Lovullo said. “So I stand corrected.”
The apology phone call
“I had a chance to call him, apologize to him and told him that we were wrong and they were doing everything right,” Lovullo said. Counsell accepted, telling reporters he thinks the world of the Arizona skipper. Lovullo admitted his old-school instincts ran hot in the moment: “The cowboy in me will sit here and tell you that if it was 25 years ago, there would have been three fights before the night was over, but I don’t believe in that. I’ve got my ass kicked in those fights and it’s no fun.”
Going forward, the Diamondbacks plan to react faster when opponents expose a tell — a fix Lovullo has labeled “Operation Protect Our House.”
Watch: Video coverage of the sign-stealing spat
Counsell confirms the apology call
Counsell confirms the call: “He felt like he wanted to do it and I appreciate it. I think the world of Torey. I think he runs a great ship here.” Also includes the Cubs’ Justin Steele injury update.
How the dugout exchange played out
Recaps how Berry looked into Kelly’s glove to figure out the pitch he was throwing, shows the staredown that led to both dugouts exchanging words, and explains the coaching-box rule that keeps coaches in place while signs are picked up.
What is confirmed vs speculation
| Confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Lovullo apologized to Counsell and said the Diamondbacks were wrong | That the Cubs’ relayed signs changed the outcome of specific at-bats |
| MLB confirmed base coaches may relay signs from inside the box | That Kelly’s tipping was the only reason the Cubs scored 7 runs |
| The 2026 rule keeps coaches in the box once the pitcher is on the rubber | Any league discipline — none has been reported |
| The Diamondbacks are reviewing video to fix Kelly’s tell | How quickly the fix will show up on the mound |
Frequently asked questions
What happened between the Diamondbacks and Cubs?
Dugouts shouted at each other after Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry relayed signs that revealed Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly was tipping his changeup. Arizona’s coaches called it bush league; MLB rules say it was legal.
Is sign-stealing legal in MLB?
Base coaches may pick up and relay signs as long as they stay inside the coaching box once the pitcher is on the rubber. Using electronic devices to steal signs remains illegal.
What did Lovullo say?
He called Cubs manager Craig Counsell and apologized, saying “we were wrong and they were doing everything right.” Counsell accepted, saying “I think the world of Torey.”
What did Merrill Kelly say?
Kelly glared at Berry during the game and called the move bush league for a third base coach, but MLB’s clarification backed the Cubs.
What is Operation Protect Our House?
Lovullo’s label for the Diamondbacks’ plan to react faster when opponents expose a tell, while the team reviews video to fix Kelly’s pitch tipping.
Was anyone disciplined?
No league discipline has been reported. The incident ended with the apology call.
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Sources: MLB.com, Arizona Sports
