Major League Baseball Suspends Astros Reliever Bryan Abreu for Intentional Throwing Incident
Houston Astros reliever Bryan Abreu has been suspended for two games by Major League Baseball (MLB) for intentionally throwing at Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García during Friday’s Game 5 win over Texas. The suspension, effective immediately, can be appealed by Abreu.
The incident occurred in the bottom of the eighth inning when Abreu hit García with a pitch, causing a benches-clearing scuffle. After discussing the situation, the umpires ejected Abreu, García, and Houston manager Dusty Baker from the game.
The Astros currently lead the Rangers 3-2 in the American League Championship Series and are scheduled to face each other in Game 6 on Sunday.
In addition to Abreu’s suspension, Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and Rangers pitcher Matt Bush received undisclosed fines and are prohibited from sitting on their team’s bench for the rest of the American League Championship Series due to their involvement in the scuffle. Both pitchers were not active for the series but were fined for their roles in the incident, as confirmed by the league.
MLB cited the umpires’ determination and the potential impact on player safety as the basis for Abreu’s suspension. Despite claims from Abreu and other Astros players that the pitch was not intentional, the umpires disagreed.
Abreu hit García with a 98.3 mph first-pitch fastball in the shoulder. While Abreu and Baker stated their intention to pitch García up and in, catcher Martín Maldonado claimed the pitch was supposed to be thrown away. Notably, Abreu hit only three batters out of 287 faced during the regular season.
MLB’s decision to suspend Abreu is not surprising given the dangerous nature of the pitch and the umpires’ determination. The league has been vocal about addressing player safety and eliminating intentional hit by pitches.
It remains uncertain whether Abreu will appeal his suspension, but it is highly likely that he will. If he does appeal, the suspension will be put on hold until the appeal is heard. MLB’s collective bargaining agreement mandates that all appeals in the postseason be resolved within 48 hours. Consequently, Abreu could potentially serve his suspension while the Astros are still competing in the postseason.
Losing Abreu would be a significant blow to Houston’s bullpen, as he had an impressive regular season with a 1.75 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 72 innings. He has also had success in the postseason, striking out 11 of the 25 batters he has faced.
Players from both teams weighed in on the incident. Rangers catcher Jonah Heim remarked that the pitch “looked bad” and admitted uncertainty about its intent. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe, wearing the Rangers jersey, expressed his belief that the pitch was intentional due to previous history between the two teams. He emphasized the use of high fastballs in today’s game and expressed disappointment over taking out emotions on a player who hit a three-run homer.
The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing tensions between the Astros and the Rangers. MLB will continue to prioritize player safety and maintain a zero-tolerance policy for intentional throwing incidents.
(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)