Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia (53) is restrained by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson as he yells at Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado after being hit by a pitch thrown by relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) during the eighth inning in Game 5 of the baseball American League Championship Series Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press
Abreu, Houston's leading non-closer out of the bullpen across the last two seasons, was ejected from Friday's Game 5 win in Arlington after he hit Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia with a pitch. Abreu was subsequently suspended two games by the MLB league office, though Abreu officially filed an appeal with MLB in the hour preceding Game 6 against Texas at Minute Maid Park. The hearing for Abreu's suspension is scheduled for Monday in the hours before that night's potential ALCS Game 7. Should the Astros eliminate Texas and capture the AL pennant Sunday, Abreu's would begin to serve a suspension during Game 1 of the World Series beginning Friday.
Astros manager Dusty Baker detailed the process of Abreu's appeal before Game 6. Baker said a meeting involving Abreu was scheduled for 5 p.m. CT, and Baker expected involvement from Abreu, assorted Astros representatives, members of the MLB league office and the MLB Players' Association.
"There's a meeting at 5 [p.m.], that's all I've been told, with the powers that be, our people, their people, MLB, Players Association," Baker said Sunday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. "I'm not a lawyer. Even though my mom wanted me to be a lawyer, that's too much school. So it's in the hands of the lawyers."
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Baker didn't identify how his bullpen plan will be changed if Abreu's suspension is immediately upheld, though such a decision would put Houston in quite the quandary for an ALCS Game 7 in particular. For one, there's the element of Abreu's performance, which remains excellent in recent months. Abreu closed the regular season with 27 straight (!) scoreless appearances dating back to July 18. He's allowed just one earned run in seven appearances in the 2023 playoffs, racking up 11 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Abreu is rightly renowned as an elite late-inning option. Take him out of the ALCS, and Baker has one fewer weapon at his disposal.
The current construction of Houston's bullpen writ large may also be of some concern to the Astros. Closer Ryan Pressly threw 24 high-stress pitches across the final two innings of Game 5. Hector Neris is effectively the only other reliever firmly in Baker's circle of late-game trust. Rookie Hunter Brown impressed in his trio of innings in Game 4, and perhaps Phil Maton and Rafael Montero can be deployed in select situations. Still, those three arms are each a noted tier below the Pressly-Abreu-Neris group, which is among baseball's top end-of-game trios. If Abreu is absent, Houston's bullpen appears far less lethal.
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The ALCS will move forward with Game 6 on Sunday night despite Abreu's potential suspension looming, with first pitch from Houston slated for 7:03 p.m. CT. Left-hander and 2022 World Series hero Framber Valdez will take the mound for Houston as he swuares off against Texas ace Nathan Eovaldi.
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