Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell hits a double off of New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Home plate umpire Adrian Johnson, left, holds Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell’s bat as he and Ramon De Jesus, right, were asked by the New York Yankees to challenge the bat during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, right, points at Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell’s bat held by home plate umpire Adrian Johnson during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell hits a double off of New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, center, points at Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell’s bat held home plate umpire Adrian Johnson, left, as umpire Ramon De Jesus, right, looks on during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Astros’ Taylor Trammell facing no discipline after bat confiscated following double vs. Yankees
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥 Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell is facing no discipline from Major League Baseball after umpires confiscated his two-color bat when New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone asked for it to be checked following a double.
Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell hits a double off of New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥 Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell is facing no discipline from Major League Baseball after umpires confiscated his two-color bat when New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone asked for it to be checked following a double.
Trammell said Friday, a day after the incident in the ninth inning of the to New York, that he had spoken with MLB officials. Trammell said he understood and appreciated their explanation of what happened because of some discoloration on the dark-colored barrel of the bat.
鈥淲e see it a lot with some guys who may have a wristband on or something like that, and just got to take it off. So it鈥檚 nothing crazy, didn鈥檛 impact the ball or anything like that,鈥 Trammell said before the AL West-leading Astros opened a series in Texas. 鈥淚t was more so of an aesthetic of the eye, so that was basically the only thing.鈥
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MLB regulations require a two-color bat to be divided into two sections, each of one solid color. That discoloration, while not likely impacting the performance, made it a non-conforming bat.
During the in the ninth inning Thursday night in Houston, both managers talked to home plate umpire Adrian Johnson. The umpire then spoke with the replay office in New York before handing the bat to an official sitting near home plate.
Boone said Friday that he had only asked umpires to check the bat after it was brought to his attention that something didn’t look right about it.
鈥淔rankly, that was something hard for me to do, because I don鈥檛 think Taylor was up to anything. I really don鈥檛,鈥 Boone said. 鈥淚n the moment I felt like a duty to at least check in for my team. But, you know, I鈥檓 frankly satisfied with the ruling, the explanation.”
Trammell, who appeared in five games for the Yankees last season before going to Houston in November, said he wasn’t sure if he would get the bat back from MLB. But he would like to have it.
鈥淚 probably would just want it, to have it just because I can have a story to tell my grandkids about it. It鈥檚 kind of a cool, funny little story,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if they鈥檒l give it back. They put a sticker on it so it鈥檚 authenticated at least. ... So somebody is going to have it.鈥
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Asked about his bats for the series against the playoff-chasing Rangers, Trammell held up the bat he had just used in batting practice.
鈥淚鈥檓 making sure like there鈥檚 no chipping, there鈥檚 a little mark here,鈥 he said, noting a small spot. 鈥淲e’ve moved on. Like I said, respect for both organizations, and glad how everything kind of turned out.鈥
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