Astros coach Cintron suspended 20 games

Major League Baseball suspended Houston hitting coach Alex Cintron for 20 games Tuesday for his role in Sunday’s brawl between the Astros and Oakland A’s.

Oakland centre-fielder Ramon Laureano also received a six-game suspension and a fine.

Cintron was also hit with an undisclosed fine for “inciting and escalating the conflict,” according to a news release from MLB senior vice-president of baseball operations Chris Young.

Cintron’s suspension, one of the longest ever levied against a coach, begins immediately.

“I accept MLB’S suspension and will learn from this. Although I never referenced Ramon’s mother, my actions were inappropriate,” Cintron said in a statement. “I apologize for my part in Sunday’s unfortunate incident. As coaches, we are held to a higher standard and should be an example to the players. Hopefully, other coaches will learn from my mistake so that this never happens again in the future.”

After getting hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, Laureano, who was at first base, charged the Houston bench following an exchange with Cintron that included alleged derogatory remarks about the outfielder’s mother.

Laureano, 26, has started all 17 of the A’s games this season. He is hitting .263/.405/.491 with three homers and 10 RBIS. He has reached base at least once in all but two games. Laureano has appealed his suspension, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

Cintron, 41, has been on Houston’s coaching staff since 2017. He played parts of nine seasons in the majors from 2001-09 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, batting .275 with 33 homers and 222 RBIS in 680 games.