Stephen A. Smith snaps back at former MLB pitcher who called him 'racist' for blasting Mike Trout after injury

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The war of words between Stephen A. Smith and Jonathan Papelbon has continued.

The former Boston Red Sox closer went off on Smith after he criticized Mike Trout's lack of availability following the three-time All-Star's meniscus injury.

Smith said he was "disgusted with his lack of availability," asking how Trout could "always" be injured.

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Stephen A. Smith said he was "disgusted" with Mike Trout's lack of availability. (Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images)

"It's baseball, half the time, y'all standing out in the outfield chewing on pumpkin seeds or something…" Smith said on "First Take" earlier this week. "With these oblique injuries, you’re running around bases, catching one, then you’re running out for a fly ball, and all of a sudden, something gets tweaked. What the hell is going on?"

Papelbon caught wind of Smith's rant, which led him to calling the media personality "racist" and "xenophobic."

"That’s not what the game needs. Everybody wants to tune into the media, I get it. But at the end of the day, you have to be responsible for the s--- that you say. And unless ESPN holds him accountable for the stupid s--- that he says, guess what? He’s going to keep doing it," Papelbon said earlier this week on the "Foul Territory" podcast.

Well, Smith threw the punches back.

Stephen A. Smith at SXSW Sports Track on March 11, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Seth Reissig/Sportico via Getty Images)

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"I didn’t even know you were a contributor to a podcast until this morning. But I can go tit for tat with you. What I won’t do is disrespect you