HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 07: Taylor Trammell #26 of the Houston Astros hits a three run home run in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park on July 07, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell was forced to surrender his bat after hitting a double against the New York Yankees on Thursday.
With the Astros trailing by five runs in the ninth inning, Trammell hit a double into left field, advancing catcher Victor Caratini to third base.
However, the game halted for several minutes after Yankees coach Aaron Boone asked home plate umpire Adrian Johnson to inspect the outfielder’s bat.
MLB regulations state that if a bat has two colors, it must be divided into two sections with a solid color. After the game, Boone said the team was concerned about the bat’s discoloration, which initiated the investigation.
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“We noticed it, and the league thought it maybe was illegal too,” Boone said. “So I wanted to at least ask about it.
“I don’t know if it was natural or … I don’t know. I don’t want to accuse Taylor. I’m not saying anything untoward or whatever. We noticed it on video while we were here, and we actually mentioned it to the league, and they said, ‘No, that looks like an illegal bat.'”
A day after the controversy, the MLB ruled that while the bat may have been illegal, Trammell will not be facing any penalty for his usage, according to The Athletic. Trammell, who played for the Yankees in 2024, said he was more worried about unintentionally doing something wrong than anything else.
“I don’t cut corners or anything like that,” he said on Friday. “I just wanted to make sure that, one, I didn’t want to bring any attention to the clubhouse or anything like that. We’re here to win, and I felt like that was kind of a hurdle in that. I just wanted to make sure the team knows I’m here to win.”
Both teams continue to hunt for a playoff spot as the regular season reaches its home stretch. The Astros currently lead the American League West division by 3.5 games over the Seattle Mariners. The Yankees, meanwhile, look to close the gap with AL East leaders the Toronto Blue Jays in this weekend’s three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
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