Marisnick appeals two-game suspension
ARLINGTON — Major League Baseball suspended Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick for two games and fined him an undisclosed fine for his collision with Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy on Sunday.
“After thoroughly reviewing the play from all angles, I have concluded that Jake’s actions warrant discipline,” said Joe Torre, MLB’s chief baseball officer.
“While I do not believe that Jake intended to injure Jonathan, the contact he initiated in his attempt to score violated Official Baseball Rule 6.01(i), which is designed to protect catchers from precisely this type of collision.”
Marisnick appealed the suspension, which made him eligible to play Thursday night in the Astros’ series opener against the Texas Rangers.
“I would like to talk further with Major League Baseball on the play,” Marisnick said Thursday. “Obviously, I still feel terrible about it. It’s been a rough couple days.”
Marisnick reiterated: “I had no intent to hurt or make contact with him.”
Marisnick was called out on the play, which occurred with two outs in the eighth inning when he tried to break a 10-10 tie by scoring from third base on George Springer’s fly ball to right field. The call was upheld upon a replay review, and the Astros eventually won 11-10 in 10 innings.
Lucroy was carted off the field and later diagnosed with a broken nose and a concussion.
After the game, Marisnick sought out and apologized to Lucroy. By Thursday, the Angels had not set a timetable for the catcher’s return.
“A player still got hurt,” Marisnick said. “It’s a brotherhood. We’re all out here rooting for each other. Any time a player gets hurt, it’s bad news.”
Peacock, Smith to return soon
The Astros soon expect to have their pitching staff at full strength.
If their bullpen sessions go well in the next two to three days, righthanded starting pitcher Brad Peacock and reliever Joe Smith will be activated from the injured list, manager A.J. Hinch said Thursday.
Peacock expects to start Monday in Anaheim against the Angels. He credited the chance to rest his right shoulder for feeling ready to return.
Smith could come back this weekend to finish out the fourgame series against the Rangers.
Smith had surgery in December for a ruptured Achilles tendon and was unable to train in the early spring. The 35-year-old sidearmer put on weight during the inactive period of his recovery and estimated he shed 20 pounds in the months that followed.
“I wasn’t going to come back fat,” Smith said.
Smith threw 27 pitches and worked out of a jam in his recent rehab assignment, which tested his stamina.
“It’s good to have that,” he said. “I feel good. I feel like I’ve cleared myself mentally of the hoops to jump through.”
Said Hinch: “Joe Smith has done everything that we asked for a normal spring training. He’s going to throw a soft bullpen (Friday), and then we’ll evaluate toward the end of the weekend what’s next for him. He’s had his six or seven outings and live BP, things that we would normally do in a spring training session.”
Smith last pitched for the Astros on Oct. 16 in their Game 3 loss to Boston in the American League Championship Series.