SEATTLE - Houston Astros relief pitcher Hector Neris is alleged to have used a Spanish homophobic slur toward Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez that led to benches clearing in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's game.
Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez was in the on-deck circle at the time of the incident and confirmed to reporters after the game the slur he heard Neris say in Rodríguez's direction.
"From the beginning I thought it was a joke because before today they’ve got a really good relationship," Suárez said. "And then he started talking bad words in Spanish. He tried doing something that’s not good for people who speak Spanish and know the statement. I was in the on-deck circle and heard that, and it pissed me off.
"I was mad and let him know ‘why you do that? Why you do that to us? You want to enjoy your strikeout, enjoy your strikeout and go to your dugout. Don’t do that.’ To chase Julio and do all that bulls--- he did is for me, I don’t take that. That made me so mad that’s why I said what I say to him and to them."
Rodríguez made a quick exit from the clubhouse after the game and did not speak to reporters. However, he relayed a message through a team spokesperson that he was "shocked" by Neris' comments and didn't believe there was any prior animosity between the two players. Rodríguez and Neris are both from the Dominican Republic and share the same agency. They were teammates on the Dominican Republic's World Baseball Classic team.
On a recent off-day, Rodríguez hosted Neris along with other Dominican players at his house for dinner.
Neris struck out Rodríguez to end the sixth inning and Neris spun around let out a yell of celebration and began walking down Rodríguez as he tried to return to the bench. Rodríguez took offense and started to face Neris as the benches and bullpens emptied.
No punches were thrown, and both teams eventually retreated to their respective dugouts. Neris did not pitch into the seventh inning after throwing an inning or relief.
"I don’t think he’s a bad guy but doing that during that game during that situation, doing it to Julio, they’re from the same country and doing that to Julio for me is bad. It’s bad," Suárez said. "I don’t take that. I hate that. I don’t like it. I let them know I don’t like that."
Neris also served a three-game suspension last season after throwing a ball behind Ty France. When Rodríguez followed that up with a home run, Neris then had a pitch sail over the head of Suárez. That incident led to both benches clearing in Houston with multiple ejections as well.
Neris was initially suspended four games before having the duration cut to three upon appeal.