Laureano says Astros coach insulted mother, sparking fracas
ANAHEIM, CALIF.» Oakland outfielder Ramon Laureano says Houston Astros hitting coach Álex Cintrón made a crude remark about his mother that prompted a benches-clearing incident Sunday, and Athletics manager Bob Melvin wants Cintrón punished harshly by Major League Baseball.
Laureano said Monday he regrets charging toward Houston’s dugout to fight Cintrón after the two exchanged words during the seventh inning of a game Sunday in Oakland.
Speaking before a game against the Los Angeles Angels, Laureano said Cintrón began jawing at him when Laureano reacted angrily after being hit by a pitch from Houston rookie Humberto Castellanos.
“I should have kept my cool because I wasted my time with that guy,” Laureano said. “Right now, I don’t look like a smart guy, but when you are emotional and someone says something about your mother, I don’t think anyone would take that lightly.
“Whatever decision comes about a suspension, hopefully it is not as many games as people think.”
Laureano and Cintrón are expected to be suspended by MLB, but no announcement was made Monday regarding punishment.
Houston manager Dusty Baker said he had a short meeting with his coaches to discuss the incident, but he declined to go into details about what he said to Cintrón.
“He was remorseful, I’ll say that, that the whole thing happened,” said Baker, who was ejected earlier in Sunday’s game and wasn’t on the bench for the fracas. “And we hope it won’t happen again.”
Mets’ Stroman opts out over virus concerns. Marcus Stroman’s recovery from a torn left calf muscle was almost complete, and he was in line to possibly make his season debut for the New York Mets next week against the Miami Marlins.
But the idea of traveling to one of the country’s coronavirus hot spots played a factor in Stroman’s decision Monday to opt out of the 2020 season.
“Going to see the Marlins soon, that’s something I don’t want to be in that situation,” Stroman said.
Stroman, scheduled to become a free agent after the season, is the second Mets player to opt out this month.
Source: Clevinger flew with Indians after violation.
CLEVELAND» Indians starter Mike Clevinger flew home with his teammates despite knowing he had broken the club’s
COVID-19 protocols by going out with right-hander Zach Plesac during Cleveland’s weekend trip to Chicago, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Clevinger did not admit that he had broken the rules during a team meeting Sunday to discuss Plesac violating the team’s code of conduct, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday night on condition of anonymity. The Indians said Clevinger will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Cubs.
Arizona places Bumgarner on IL with back strain.
PHOENIX»Arizona Diamondbacks ace Madison Bumgarner has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a mid-back strain. The lefthander was lifted after two innings Sunday against San Diego due to back spasms.