During Monday's brawl between Hunter Strickland and Bryce Harper, Buster Posey was noticeable by his absence. 

After Strickland hit Harper on the hip with a fastball, Posey didn't move in an attempt to intervene and diffuse the situation. As Harper yelled and motioned at Strickland, Posey continued to stand behind home plate and chose to not enter the fray as the benches cleared.

“Given his injury that took him out for a whole year, that has everything to do with it… Imagine what this team would be like without him. You have to know what he’s been told – ‘stay out of the pile.’ And you have to know the corner infielders have been told he’s not gonna be there, you need to protect. And you saw Michael Morse come in and that was his main job. Basically, Buster’s responding the way he’s been told. Buster has no choice,” Giants' color announcer Mike Krukow said.

“It is extremely hard for Buster not to get in that pile. So know that. But, I’m just saying, and I’m not gonna tell you who told him, I’m just saying that he’s been told, ’stay out of the pile,’” Krukow said.

Posey also was likely upset with Strickland for hitting Harper, which will make him a target for the Nationals during the remainder of the series.