Major League Baseball Investigating Alleged Homophobic Slur Incident in Astros-Mariners Game
SEATTLE — Major League Baseball is looking into an incident that occurred during Wednesday night’s game between the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners, where a bench-clearing altercation took place. According to a league source, Houston reliever Hector Neris is alleged to have shouted a homophobic slur in Spanish towards Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez.
Neris issued an apology on Thursday afternoon, denying the allegations and calling them “simply incorrect.” In his statement, Neris emphasized that he was raised by his mother to love and respect people for who they are.
When asked about the incident, Rodríguez declined to comment on whether he had heard Neris use a homophobic slur. However, he expressed disappointment and stated that he believed he deserved more respect.
The altercation occurred after Neris struck out Rodríguez, leaving the tying run on first base during the sixth inning. Benches and bullpens cleared, though no punches were thrown. Neris required assistance in leaving the field.
Seattle third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who was on deck during the strikeout, told multiple outlets that Neris shouted a slur. Suárez declined to comment further on the matter.
Rodríguez expressed confusion over Neris’ actions and described them as part of a “friendly competition” between the two. However, he did accept Neris’ apology and acknowledged that his actions could have been misinterpreted.
Both Neris and Rodríguez were known to be friendly before the incident, having worked out together during past offseasons and played together for Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
Rodríguez stated that while he appreciated Neris reaching out to apologize, he has chosen not to communicate further with him. He intends to move forward from the incident but emphasized that respect should be maintained on the field.
This is not the first altercation between the Mariners and Astros this season. The bad blood between the two teams has been ongoing for several years. Mariners pitchers hitting Astros players during this week’s series further fueled tensions.
It is uncertain whether the league will suspend Neris as a result of the incident. Losing him, even temporarily, would be a significant blow to the Astros bullpen during their playoff push. Neris has been a consistent performer with a 1.78 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 69 appearances.
The investigation into the alleged incident is ongoing, and Major League Baseball has yet to make a decision regarding potential disciplinary actions.