Verlander responds after Astros block reporter from media session
The Houston Astros blocked a Detroit Free Press reporter from attending Justin Verlander’s postgame media session on Wednesday night, violating Baseball Writers’ Association of America protocol and the MLB collective bargaining agreement.
The Astros blocked Free Press writer Anthony Fenech at Verlander’s request, according to Gene Dias, Astros vice president of communications. Dias said Verlander was “adamant” that he would not speak to any credentialed media while Fenech was present.
Fenech has been the Tigers beat writer for the Free Press since 2015.
On Thursday, Verlander tweeted that the block stemmed from “his unethical behavior in the past.” Verlander did not mention Fenech by name. It wasn’t immediately clear what Verlander was referring to.
“Blocking a working reporter from doing his job is unprofessional, disappointing and intolerable,” Free Press executive editor Peter Bhatia said Wednesday. “We will be protesting to MLB and the Astros.”
Verlander pitched a complete game Wednesday in Houston, allowing two home runs in a 2-1 loss to the Tigers. The game ended at 9:22 p.m.
At 9:35 p.m., the Astros opened their clubhouse to credentialed media in compliance with MLB rules. As other media members entered the clubhouse, Fenech, who has a Bbwaa-issued credential, was blocked from entering by three Astros security officials.
When asked for the reason, one security official, Roy Pippin Jr., who was wearing a team-authorized badge, said he was told by Dias not to allow Fenech inside the clubhouse.
“I’ll come and get him when he’s ready to come in,” Pippin Jr., speaking for Dias, told the reporter.
Fenech contacted Mike Teevan, MLB vice president of communications, who said he would immediately reach out to Dias regarding the issue. Dias eventually gave Fenech access to the clubhouse at 9:41 p.m., after Verlander’s media session had ended.
Once inside, Fenech approached Verlander, who said: “I’m not answering your questions.” When asked to comment on Wednesday’s loss, Verlander walked away.
“The Baseball Writers’ Association of America is alarmed by the Houston Astros’ decision to restrict the clubhouse access of a reporter from the Detroit Free Press after Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers,” BBWAA president Rob Biertempfel said in a statement. “This action by the Astros violated the MLB club-media regulations, which are laid out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the BBWAA expects MLB to respond accordingly and promptly.”
Wednesday’s incident came hours after Dias told Fenech that the Astros preferred he not attend Verlander’s postgame media session. It also came a day after Verlander refused to speak to credentialed media in a group setting with Fenech present.
Verlander defended himself in two tweets on Thursday and said he “reached out to the @freep multiples times before the game to notify them why and to give them an opportunity to have someone else there. Ironically they didn’t answer.”
“Although I tried to avoid this situation altogether,” Verlander said in his second tweet, “I’ve still reached out to @freep multiple times today with no response. They’re still not interested in my side of the story.”
Mark Pieper, Verlander’s agent, told the Free Press on Thursday that he made multiple calls to the newspaper on Wednesday. He left one voicemail for sports editor Chris Thomas at around noon Wednesday and one voicemail for Thomas and Bhatia on Thursday morning. Pieper did not send an email to either editor, until reaching Thomas on Thursday afternoon.
Preventing media access runs counter to the mission of the BBWAA, which was established in 1908 to “ensure proper working conditions in press boxes and clubhouses, and to ensure its members have access to players and others in the game so members’ reporting can be accurate, fair and complete.”