In an unprecedented ruling, Major League Baseball decided to suspend Houston Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron of Humacao, Puerto Rico, for 20 games on Tuesday according to the Canadian Press. The reason for the suspension was because of Citron’s actions during a bench-clearing brawl between the Astros and Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
In the seventh inning of the game between the Astros and Athletics on Sunday, a 7-2 Oakland win, Astros pitcher Humberto Castellanos hit Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano, with a pitch. After walking toward first base, Laureano then exchanged words with Cintron, and ran toward the Astros dugout from first base. He was then restrained by Athletics catcher Dustin Garneau.
In addition to Cintron’s suspension of 20 games, Laureano was suspended six games. The reason why Cintron was suspended 14 more games than Laureano for the incident is because Cintron had reportedly instigated the confrontation.
Laureano claims Cintron said something negative about Laureano’s mother. Cintron denies making such a claim according to David Waldstein of the New York Times.
This is the second altercation that the Astros have been involved with this year. They previously were in one with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 28. From that confrontation, Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly was suspended eight games for throwing near the head of Alex Bregman and mocking Carlos Correa.
There is no question the Astros have become public enemy number one this season, as the other 29 Major League Baseball clubs have not forgiven them for the cheating scandal from a year ago. However one must realize on this occasion, the Astros, and not the Athletics, instigated this confrontation, and it was Cintron who received the most significant suspension as the result.
