Pitchers keep hitting Astros batters. How will MLB respond?

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said he will protect Astros batters, who have already been hit four times in spring training.

A sizable portion of MLB players are understandably upset that members of the 2017 Houston Astros’ championship roster avoided all punishment for their roles in the sign-stealing scandal, and if the first few spring training games are any indication, Astros batters are in for a long and painful year in response.

In just three spring training games in 2020, a total of four Astros batters have been hit by pitches. On Tuesday, Miami Marlins starter José Ureña plunked Aledmys Díaz, perhaps accidentally. Díaz was not with the Astros in 2017, but Ureña has been suspended in the past for throwing at batters.

Later in the game, Jorge Guzman drilled Jake Meyers with a fastball to the shoulder.

Were the Marlins pitchers targeting the Astros, or did they simply lose control of inside pitches? It’s difficult to tell, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has vowed to protect Astros batters from vigilante justice, which means the league will have to review each HBP and make a very difficult decision whether or not to suspend a pitcher. New Astros manager Dusty Baker asked the league to stop “premeditated retaliation” against the organization, and according to ESPN, Manfred met with managers in spring training to make it clear that he would not tolerate Astros being hit intentionally.

The warning from Manfred gives the Astros another unfair advantage on the field. If pitchers are worried about being thrown from games or suspended, they may shy away from throwing inside. Similarly, if the Astros know that umpires are looking for beanballs, batters may crowd the plate in the hopes of being clipped and getting a pitcher in trouble.

How often are pitchers suspended for throwing at batters, anyway?

Over the past three MLB seasons, pitcher suspensions for throwing at batters have been fairly rare. Six pitchers were suspended in 2019 for hitting or throwing at batters, up from four in 2018, and three in 2017. During that span, José Ureña earned the longest suspension – a six-game ban for hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. Suspensions ranged from two games to six games.

The best solution here – one that allows Manfred to save face while also policing the game – is to stick to three-game suspensions. For starting pitchers, a three-game suspension is effectively meaningless, as they typically only pitch every fifth game. A three-game ban is more impactful for relievers, but teams could adjust to deliver punishment early in games.

If this continues to be an ongoing trend, however, pitchers may force Manfred to take more drastic measures to make it clear that punishing the Astros on the field will not be tolerated.

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