Houston Astros' Bryan Abreu Suspended for Hitting Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia in ALCS Game 6

The Texas Rangers learned the fate of outfielder Adolis García and the Houston Astros ejected from Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

HOUSTON — Losing Game 5 of the American League Championship Series 5-4 was heartbreaking enough for the Texas Rangers, but there was a question as to whether the hits would keep coming entering Sunday's Game 6 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Specially around Rangers right fielder Adolis García.

During Friday's bench-clearing altercation in the eighth inning between the two rivals, the umpiring crew led by James Hoye, determined García was the "aggressor." García was ejected, along with Astros reliever Bryan Abreu and manager Dusty Baker. 

When asked postgame of García's status for the return to Houston, MLB official Mike Hill declined to comment further on the situation. 

“We’ll review everything,” Hill said. “We’ll try to review it in a timely fashion and make a decision. I don’t want to jump the gun on anything.”

Well, MLB released its ruling on Saturday and it found that Abreu would be suspended for two games due to hitting García with the pitch. If Abreu doesn't appeal, he would miss Games 6 and, if necessary, 7 of the series. USA Today reported that Abreu is expected to appeal. 

García, along with Rangers reliever Matt Bush, Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and Baker have been fined, though the amount is undisclosed. In addition, Bush and McCullers will not be allowed to sit on their teams' benches for the remainder of the ALCS. 

But García will be available for Game 6. 

Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia is held back by Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez after being hit by a pitch in Game 5 on Friday.  / © Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Garcia, who gave Texas the 4-2 lead with a three-run blast off Astros ace Justin Verlander in the sixth, needed to be restrained by teammates and later fellow Yordan Alvarez after Abreu drilled him with a 98-mph fastball in the shoulder.

Hoye said postgame it was determined that Abreu intentionally threw at García in the eighth, but that the Rangers outfielder was the aggressor in the incident by approaching Astros catcher Martin Maldonado.

"We felt like after he was hit with the Maldonado situation, we felt like he was the aggressor there, García was trying to go through [home plate umpire Marvin Hudson] to get to Maldonado,” Hoye said. “And we felt like he was the aggressor and continued the dispute because he was aggressive." 

The MLB has cracked down on handing out suspensions following ejections in recent years, but it's quite uncommon in the playoffs. The last incident occurred in 2017 after former Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel was handed out a five-game suspension without pay at the start of the 2018 campaign after Gurriel was seen making obscene gestures to then-Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish. 

Only two other suspensions have occurred in the common baseball era, both coming before the turn of the century. Unlike Gurriel, both instances were handed out during the postseason in the LCS.

In 10 games this postseason, García is slashing .286/.318/.595 with four home runs, 11 RBI and a .913 OPS. 

Garcia Doesn't Regret Actions, Reactions in Game 5

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