Major League Baseball has suspended Houston Astros reliever Bryan Abreu for two games for “intentionally” throwing at Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García during Friday’s Game 5 win over Texas, the league announced announced Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The suspension takes effect immediately, but Abreu can appeal.
- Abreu hit García with a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Rangers leading 4-2 and sparking a melee for the bench.
- After a discussion between the referees, Abreu, García and Houston manager Dusty Baker were sent off.
- The Astros lead the Rangers 3-2 in the American League Championship Series and face each other in Game 6 next Sunday.
- Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and Rangers pitcher Matt Bush were both fined undisclosed and banned from their team’s bench for the remainder of the American League Championship Series because of their roles in the upset. Neither pitcher is active for the series, but were fined “for their role in the incident,” according to the league.
What else you should know
Every Astro asked about the incident after Friday’s game – including Abreu himself – claimed the throw to García was not intentional. The six referees officiating the game disagreed. MLB cited the determination of the referees as well as “the dangerous nature of the field and its potential impact on player safety” in the press release announcing Abreu’s suspension.
Abreu hit García in the shoulder with a 98.3 mph first-pitch fastball. Both Abreu and Baker said the team had intended to throw García up and in, but catcher Martín Maldonado claimed that the throw that hit García should have been thrown away. Maldonado also prepared. It should be noted that Abreu faced 287 batters in the regular season and only hit three of them. — Chandler Rome, Astros staff writer
Was that surprising?
Although it comes at a terrible time for the Astros, MLB’s decision is not surprising. The optics of the situation were too drastic for the league to ignore, and as Justin Verlander put it after Friday’s game, “I understand Major League Baseball and trying to take the hit through pitch and pitchers and teams that play the game.” so to control, to take away.” It used to be done. I understand that. It’s dangerous.”
A first-pitch fastball traveling nearly 99 miles per hour above the waist was something the league couldn’t ignore, especially after six of its umpires determined the pitch was intentional. – Rome
Will Abreu appeal?
It is unclear whether Abreu will appeal his suspension, but it is highly likely he will. If he does so, the suspension will be suspended while the appeal is heard, meaning Abreu will be available to pitch in the postseason. The MLB collective bargaining agreement requires all postseason appeals to be heard within 48 hours, meaning Abreu could serve his suspension – if upheld – while the Astros are still alive in the postseason.
Losing Abreu would be a devastating blow to Houston’s bullpen. He finished the regular season with a 1.75 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 72 innings. Abreu has also struck out 11 of the 25 batters he faced this postseason. – Rome
What you say
Rangers catcher Jonah Heim said Abreu’s pitch “looked bad.”
“That’s all I can really say,” Heim said. “We don’t know if it’s intentional or not. But it wasn’t the best look.”
Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe added: “Wearing this jersey and having Adolis as a teammate feels pretty intentional. There’s obviously some history between these two teams… In today’s game we’re throwing fastballs. If you get emotional about something like that and want to take it out on a guy who hit a three-run home run, that’s too bad. I don’t really stand for it.”
Required reading
(Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)