While Yu Darvish only getting through 1.2 innings in Game 2 of the World Series was a surprise and significant talking point, it was quickly overshadowed by the insensitive gesture Houston Astros first baseman Yulieski Gurriel aimed at the right-hander.
Rather than admonish Gurriel for his act, Darvish said the incident should be used as a teaching manner. Gurriel met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and was suspended five games, but it does not take effect until the 2018 regular season.
Gurriel received loud ovations prior and during Games 4 and 5 at Minute Maid Park. His home run off Clayton Kershaw last Sunday further galvanized the fan base. But Tuesday brought about a different story.
Gurriel was showered with boos during pregame introductions at Dodger Stadium, and for each of his at-bats. Those were more prolonged than usual, because of Rich Hill taking it upon himself to provide fans with ample opportunity to express themselves.
Hill’s pace came to a crawl while Gurriel was batting, and he stepped off the mound with plenty of frequency between pitches. The veteran left-hander explained he believed it was the best course of action, per Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:
“I think the one thing was just to let the crowd speak their mind,” Hill said. “I didn’t think anything else would be as loud as that. The people spoke. I left it to that, and that was it. That was the best way to go about it, not hitting him or doing anything like that, but making sure that things like this shouldn’t happen.”
Gurriel offered to meet with Darvish for an in-person apology, but the Dodgers pitcher didn’t find it necessary.
“I told him, ‘Hey, you don’t have to do that, because you made a comment, and, like, I’m not that mad,'” Darvish said through his translator before Game 6. “So like I really didn’t care much about that.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was pleased with MLB taking quick action, even if it meant a delayed suspension. Considering Darvish’s downplaying the insult, Roberts’ preference was for Gurriel to remain active so the Dodgers would have a chance to defeat the Astros at full strength.
Gurriel went 0-for-2 against Hill in Game 6, lined a two-out single into center field off Brandon Morrow in the sixth inning, and fouled out against Kenley Jansen in the eighth.
