Major League Baseball has ruled to uphold and delay Houston Astros right-hander Bryan Abreu's two-game suspension until the 2024 season after determining that he intentionally plunked Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García during Friday's Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. The league announced the decision just hours before Game 7's first pitch.
Abreu and García, along with Astros manager Dusty Baker, received fines. Inactive pitchers Matt Bush and Lance McCullers Jr. also received fines and will be prohibited from sitting on their respective teams' benches for the remainder of the ALCS.
"Of course, I'm glad to be here and try to help the team to win," Abreu told reporters ahead of Game 7.
"Well, that was kind of what I was hoping for when I didn't use him in a down game two innings yesterday," Baker added. "He told me he was prepared to throw as many as possible just in case he had to serve a suspension. So it's a blessing to have him for today."
Abreu, 26, appealed his suspension on Sunday and pitched in Houston's Game 6 loss. Abreu's appeal was heard on Monday morning. Per the CBA, postseason suspension appeals must be heard within 48 hours. Here's what the MLB rulebook says:
(c) Discipline for Post-season Conduct. Notwithstanding paragraph (b) above, a hearing involving a suspension for con- duct on the playing field or in the ballpark during the post-season shall be heard within forty-eight (48) hours of the receipt of the appeal. The Senior Vice President, On-Field Operations (or com- parable title/position), or the Commissioner, as the case may be, shall determine the timing of the suspension, subject to the Player's right to appeal and without prejudice to the Players Association's position regarding past practice of the timing of such suspensions.
The incident took place during the eighth inning and with a runner on first base. Abreu hit García with a 98.9 mph first-pitch fastball. García, who had admired a home run earlier in the game and taken a slow celebratory trot around the bases, confronted catcher Martín Maldonado immediately. The umpiring crew gathered and ejected Abreu, García, and Baker.
Benches have cleared in Arlington. pic.twitter.com/F1abofICpX
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"I can understand how he'd take exception to that," Baker said after Game 5. "Nobody likes to get hit. But you're not going to add runs on in the ninth inning in the playoffs when we're trying to win a game. I mean, this -- I just -- you know, how do you prove intent? That's what I don't -- I don't understand."
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, meanwhile, expressed frustration with how long it took for the game to resume following Abreu's ejection.
"Who knows?" Bochy said about the intention behind the pitch. "The guy hits a three-run homer; the next time up he gets smoked there. It doesn't really matter. I'd be upset, too, if I was Doli. But like I said, it just took too long to get things back in order, that's what was frustrating me."
Abreu made 72 regular-season appearances for the Astros, compiling a 1.75 ERA (241 ERA+) and a 3.23 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 72 innings. This postseason, he's already appeared seven times. In those contests, he's amassed a 1.42 ERA and has struck out nine more batters than he's walked in 6 1/3 innings.
Some Astros fans displayed "Free Abreu" signs at Minute Maid Park in Houston during Sunday night's Game 6.
Abreu ended up facing García again on Sunday night. He struck out the Rangers star in this matchup, but Abreu allowed a run on two hits. García ended up hitting a grand slam that put the game out of reach in the ninth inning.
