ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell is facing no discipline from Major League Baseball after umpires confiscated his two-color bat when New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone asked for it to be checked following a double.
Trammell said Friday, a day after the incident in the ninth inning of the Astros' 8-4 loss to New York, that he had spoken with MLB officials. Trammell said he understood and appreciated their explanation of what happened because of some discoloration on the dark-colored barrel of the bat.
“We see it a lot with some guys who may have a wristband on or something like that, and just got to take it off. So it’s nothing crazy, didn’t impact the ball or anything like that,” Trammell said before the AL West-leading Astros opened a series in Texas. “It was more so of an aesthetic of the eye, so that was basically the only thing.”
MLB regulations require a two-color bat to be divided into two sections, each of one solid color. That discoloration, while not likely impacting the performance, made it a non-conforming bat.
During the lengthy delay in the ninth inning Thursday night in Houston, both managers talked to home plate umpire Adrian Johnson. The umpire then spoke with the replay office in New York before handing the bat to an official sitting near home plate.
Boone said Friday that he had only asked umpires to check the bat after it was brought to his attention that something didn't look right about it.
“Frankly, that was something hard for me to do, because I don’t think Taylor was up to anything. I really don’t,” Boone said. “In the moment I felt like a duty to at least check in for my team. But, you know, I’m frankly satisfied with the ruling, the explanation."
Trammell, who appeared in five games for the Yankees last season before going to Houston in November, said he wasn't sure if he would get the bat back from MLB. But he would like to have it.
“I probably would just want it, to have it just because I can have a story to tell my grandkids about it. It’s kind of a cool, funny little story,” he said. “I don’t know if they’ll give it back. They put a sticker on it so it’s authenticated at least. ... So somebody is going to have it.”
Asked about his bats for the series against the playoff-chasing Rangers, Trammell held up the bat he had just used in batting practice.
“I’m making sure like there’s no chipping, there’s a little mark here,” he said, noting a small spot. “We've moved on. Like I said, respect for both organizations, and glad how everything kind of turned out.”
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed.
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