HOUSTON — Houston Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu is active for Game 6 after appealing his two-game suspension and fine by Major League Baseball.
The league said he intentionally threw at Adolis García of the Texas Rangers during Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.
MLB said all six umpires decided Abreu’s pitch was intentional. MLB said it “took into account the dangerous nature of the pitch and its potential impact on player safety.”
The appeal will be heard by John McHale Jr., a special assistant to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Abreu's pitch started a benches-clearing incident that led to a 12-minute delay before play resumed.
The suspension was announced by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill. Since Abreu appealed, he's eligible to pitch in Game 6 and his appeal hearing will be heard within 48 hours.
García and Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. were fined along with Texas pitcher Matt Bush. McCullers and Bush are being prohibited from sitting on their team benches for the rest of the series.
Houston manager Dusty Baker was fined for his actions following his ejection. Baker remained in the Astros dugout for six minutes before leaving for the clubhouse.
Baker was asked Saturday about his thought process in sitting back down in the dugout after being ejected.
“My thought process is I wasn’t ready to go because it shouldn’t have happened in the first place,” he said. “That was my thought process.”
He was then asked what the umpires said when they approached him in the dugout when he wouldn't leave.
“Well, they didn’t say much,” he said. “They kind of just turned around and said: ‘He’s not leaving.’ Then they turned around and said they can’t start until I leave."
Baker was asked about the incident.
“It happens,” he said. “And you don’t script it. It’s a spontaneous, combustible reaction that gets out of control. And most of us want to be under control. Most of us want to play ball. Most don’t want to box.”
Texas manager Bruce Bochy was asked if he thinks there will be any carryover from the scuffle into Game 6.
“I don’t see really any of this happening again, to be honest,” he said.