Astros Caught in Another Cheating Scandal as Yankees Snatch Series in Controversial Finish

The Astros-Yankees series is finally in the books, and while the Yankees had the last word with an 8-4 win in the finale, the drama didn’t stop there. As you know, the whole series was filled with controversial calls, and Thursday night in Houston wrapped up with yet another eyebrow-raising moment. This time involved an Astros slugger’s bat.

Well, ever since the infamous 2017 Astros cheating scandal, matchups with the Yankees have carried extra tension. And fans got a fresh reminder of it in the ninth inning. Today, with Houston down 8-3, Taylor Trammell ripped a double off the Crawford Boxes to put runners on second and third with nobody out. But instead of focusing on the rally, all eyes turned to Trammell’s bat. Because the umpires suddenly pulled aside and inspected closely enough to give fans a sense of deja vu from controversies past.

“There was some sort of marking on Taylor Trammell’s bat, and it was confiscated after he doubled in the ninth inning,” Talkin’ Baseball reports.

So, right after Trammell’s hit, the chatter started flying, whether there was any cork or tar involved. But once the umpires gave it a closer look, it turned out the bat was just worn down past its original paint job. Still, they had to call over to New York for a ruling, which only added to the drama.

And the wildest part? Nothing really came of it.

Someone eventually came out, took the bat out of play, and was later seen snapping pictures of it. But the umpires never gave a clear explanation. Reportedly, Trammell stayed put at second, and play went on. But considering the inspection dragged on for nearly 10 minutes, most people were bracing for some kind of big ruling. Instead, the Astros walked away without consequence, leaving fans stunned that it all just fizzled out.

The Astros got their own point against the Yankees’ complaint

“The bat was worn down a little bit. He uses that bat all the time, and I guess they thought it was an illegal bat. So the league wants to take a look at the bat. I thought it was … whatever.” Astros manager Joe Espada said after the game, pointing to nothing serious.

However, why did the Yankees then ask for a check, and what MLB rule says about bats?

Well, after the Yankees wrapped up their 8-4 win, manager Aaron Boone explained that the team had already noticed the bat earlier in the series and wondered if it might be illegal because the label looked discolored. He even brought it up with a league official before Thursday’s game.

Notably, the MLB rulebook says no colored bats are allowed unless MLB signs off on them. Rule 3.02(c) says, “No colored bat may be used in a professional game unless approved by Major League Baseball.“

In this case, Trammell, who pinch-hit in the seventh and struck out, was swinging a bat with a light handle and darker barrel, which is generally fine under the rules. While he had a brief stint with the Yankees last year under Boone, he wasn’t buying it, though. Trammell brushed off the whole thing as “actually ridiculous.”

But when it’s the Astros and the opponent is the Yankees, a few spark is always expected.