MESA, Ariz. — This looked like one of Joe Maddon’s gimmicks gone wild, a swarm of bees surrounding Jason Heyward in center and chasing the Cubs outfielder out to the warning track.
Heyward kept swatting his glove through the air on Easter Sunday and jumped onto the fence at Sloan Park. The Gold Glover tried to brush away the bees buzzing at his beard, waving around his blue Cubs hat.
Heyward estimated he got stung at least 10 times in front of a sellout crowd, the TV cameras and a social-media audience. Fans sitting on the berm wrapped themselves underneath blankets during a bizarre third-inning scene that interrupted the game for several minutes.