Yu Darvish Not Looking For Direct Apology From Yuli Gurriel After Racist Gesture

Yuli Gurriel may have been punished by MLB for his racially offensive gesture, but Yu Darvish doesn’t thing an in-person apology is necessary.

World Series Game 6 score

Gurriel, the Houston Astros‘ Cuban first baseman, was suspended five games next season for using his fingers to slant his eyes at Japan-born Darvish after hitting a home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers starter in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday.

The move was viewed as offensive to Asians and thus drew sever backlash, and Gurriel apologized in a statement. Nevertheless, Darvish says he is ready to move past this, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin.

Hours after Game 3, Darvish posted this statement on Twitter:

The Dodgers beat the Astros 3-1 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to even the World Series 3-3. Gurriel was loudly booed by Dodgers fans

Chris Taylor’s RBI double keyed a two-run sixth inning off Justin Verlander, and Joc Pederson smacked his third homer of the Series, this time off reliever Joe Musgrove. 

“We grinded the entire game,” said Rich Hill, who was removed after 4 2/3 innings when manager Dave Roberts again wouldn’t let him face Houston’s lineup for a third time. “That’s the makeup of this team the entire year. Anybody who has come to games throughout the regular season has seen the way this team has performed, saw pretty much everything tonight. We’re very excited looking at Game 7 tomorrow.”

Closer Kenley Jansen, who took Sunday’s Game 5 walk-off loss, retired all six batters he faced (three on strikeouts) for the largest save of his life after delivering 19 pitches.

The deciding Game 7 is set for Wednesday at 8pm EST at Dodger Stadium. Righty Lance McCullers Jr. (1–0, 2.95 ERA) will start for the Astros. He took the win in Game 3 after allowing three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out three. Darvish (2-1, 4.15 ERA) will start for Los Angeles. He surrendered six hits and four earned runs in Game 3 while compiling only five outs.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 31: Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros reacts during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game six of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)