MLB probing Neris over alleged slur
PHOENIX — Astros reliever Hector Neris reiterated Friday that he did not use a homophobic slur amid an interaction with Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez that led to the teams’ benches clearing during Wednesday night’s game in Seattle.
Major League Baseball was looking into the incident as of Thursday, according to an MLB spokesperson. Neris, who issued a statement Thursday in which he apologized to Rodríguez and denied using a slur, addressed the incident with reporters before Friday’s series opener in Arizona.
After striking Rodríguez out to end the sixth inning, Neris walked toward Rodríguez and said words to him in Spanish. Both teams’ benches and bullpens emptied but the incident did not escalate further.
“I think it looks a little bit bad in the video, the intention,” Neris said through an interpreter Friday. “We’re guys that we’re used to yelling back at each other, heckling each other, joking around. I thought that was one of those moments. But obviously it looks different because I walked toward him. And maybe that’s where the misunderstanding was.
“But the only thing that I really told him was, ‘Hit. Hit.’ And then I said ‘coño’ to him.”
An Astros interpreter said “coño” is an expletive that in this instance was used for emphasis.
The word’s meaning can vary based on how and where it is used, according to online language references.
The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who was on deck during the at-bat, told the outlet he heard Neris direct a homophobic slur at Rodríguez.
Neris, the 34-year-old reliever, said in his statement Thursday that reports he used a homophobic slur “are simply incorrect” and that “any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.”
“I was just as surprised as (others) hearing that, the report when that came out,” Neris said Friday. “And maybe it was one of those things that could have been taken out of context. Maybe I should have smiled at the end of it. It looked wrong, obviously, me charging at him. But I didn’t say anything else other than what I just said, other than saying maybe ‘coño.’ ”
Rodríguez, 22, told reporters Thursday in Seattle that he did not want to discuss the exact words Neris used but he felt disrespected by the incident. Rodríguez told reporters Neris had reached out, but that Rodríguez did not want to respond.
Neris and Rodríguez were both on the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic early this year and are represented by the same agency.
Neris said he has been contacted by people who “are doing investigations, trying to find out what was actually said.” He said he does not expect to face discipline from MLB.
“I don’t think I did anything that would be a violation of any of the rules or require disciplinary action from MLB,” Neris said.
From an on-field standpoint, losing Neris for any time at this point would be costly for the Astros. Neris has been one of the Astros’ top relievers this season. He has a 1.76 ERA in 70 appearances.
In an appearance on the Astros’ flagship station 790 AM on Friday, Astros general manager Dana Brown said of potential MLB discipline for Neris: “That’s all in baseball’s hands. But at the end of the day, I think he got very emotional and hopefully everything’s going to turn out all right.” Matt Kawahara
Stanek placed on paternity list
The Astros placed reliever Ryne Stanek on the paternity list prior to Friday’s series opener at Arizona, the team announced. Reliever Seth Martinez was recalled to replace Stanek on the active roster.
A player placed on the MLB paternity list must miss one game but no more than three games. Stanek has a 4.09 ERA in 55 games this season. He was activated Sept. 22 after missing 15 days with a right ankle sprain.
Martinez owns a 5.23 ERA in 35 major league appearances this year. Matt Kawahara
Astros, Rockets acquire network
The Astros and Rockets said Friday they have acquired AT&T SportsNet Southwest, the regional sports network home of Major League Baseball and NBA games since 2014, and will relaunch the channel on Tuesday as Space City Home Network.
It’s the latest name change in what has been a turbulent decade for Houston’s sports television business, but it’s also the only significant change planned as part of what Rockets and Astros team officials described Friday as a seamless transition for viewers.
No changes are expected in team broadcasters for the Rockets or Astros, and the programming schedule for Space City Home Network is expected to remain the same as AT&T SportsNet Southwest — a mixture of pregame, game and postgame telecasts augmented by team magazine shows, some locally produced programs, syndicated programs and infomercials.
The first game telecast under the new Space City Home Network logo will be the Rockets’ preseason opener Oct. 10 against the Indiana Pacers. David Barron