Clint Hurdle made his displeasure known after Anthony Rizzo took out the legs of catcher Elias Diaz on a force play at home plate in Monday's game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rizzo was easily out at home on the ground ball hit to shortstop, but as Diaz turned to throw to first base for the double play, Rizzo slid into his legs before crossing home plate. Diaz's throw sailed into right field, allowing two runs to score.

"My position and my question is that at the end of the day, we've put a rule in at home plate to protect the catchers," Hurdle said after he was ejected. "Everybody is going to see the play and say this is the play you can make on the catcher on his most vulnerable position. He's completely exposed. He's completely out in front of the plate. He has no defense whatsoever."

Rizzo doesn't deny looking to make contact in order to break up the double play, but both the call on the field and the ensuing review claimed it was a legal slide.

"You have to go in and break the double play up," Rizzo said. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone. Plays like that are scary, but at the same time, you have to play hard."