Astros' Bryan Abreu suspended 2 games for plunking Adolis Garcia after home run
The benches cleared Friday night
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Major League Baseball announced Saturday Bryan Abreu has been suspended two games for hitting Adolis Garcia with a pitch in Game 5 of the ALCS in an at-bat after his three-run home run.
Garcia hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday night that gave his Texas Rangers a 4-2 lead. The next pitch Garcia saw in the eighth drilled him in his right elbow pad.
Garcia's immediately got in catcher Martin Maldonado's face, and the two had to be separated.
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Adolis Garcia (53) of the Texas Rangers argues with Martin Maldonado (15) of the Houston Astros after being hit by a pitch by Bryan Abreu of the Houston Astros, prompting benches to clear during the eighth inning in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Globe Life Field Oct. 20, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Abreu and Garcia were both ejected, as was Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker.
The suspension will begin Game 6 Sunday, but Abreu is expected to appeal, and that would likely push the suspension to the 2024 regular season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Baker was ejected after arguing with umpires shortly after Abreu was tossed, saying he hadn't been "that mad in a long time."
"It didn’t make any sense to me," Baker said after the game of Abreu’s ejection. "We got a two-run game, and they explained to me that the guy just hit a three-run homer, but that was a mistake that he hit a three-run homer. The ball was down and in, and he wasn’t trying to go down and in.
Manger Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros, center, argues with the umpires after Bryan Abreu was ejected against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Globe Life Field Oct. 20, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
"We pitch him up. We pitch him up and in. And anytime you’re throwing a projectile 97 miles an hour, some of them are going to get away. I don’t care if you’re big league, Hall of Fame, I don’t care who you are."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Garcia admired his homer, taking over 30 seconds to round the bases and spiking his bat to the ground.
RANGERS' ADOLIS GARCIA: GETTING HIT BY PITCH AFTER HOME RUN 'WAS NOT RIGHT'
"I think we’re in the postseason. It’s the moment," Garcia said after the game. "You hit a ball like that, you’re going to celebrate. It’s where we’re at right now. If they’re trying to react to that, I don’t think that’s the correct way.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I felt like that hit by pitch could've been worse," he added, "and I told [Maldonado] that was not right."
Abreu, Garcia and Baker were all issued undisclosed fines.
Adolis Garcia of the Texas Rangers, left, argues with Martin Maldonado of the Houston Astros after being hit by a pitch by Bryan Abreu during the eighth inning in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Globe Life Field Oct. 20, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Astros got the last laugh after Jose Altuve's three-run home run in the ninth inning gave Houston its third straight win, all on the road, to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 ALCS.
Houston is one win away from making its third consecutive World Series and its fifth in the last seven years.