Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado ‘used an illegal bat’ during Game 1 of the World Series
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Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado may have accidentally cheated when he ‘used an illegal bat’ during Game 1 of the World Series, which was sent to him by ex-Cardinals star Albert Pujols
- Astros catcher Martin Maldonado reportedly used an illegal bat in Game 1
- He reportedly got the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols
- The bat run exceeded the maximum allowable limit after the 2011 MLB rule change
- The MLB informed Maldonado that he had used an illegal bat and switched to Game 2
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Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado reportedly used an illegal bat during Game 1 of the World Series Friday night.
Maldonado reportedly got the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols ahead of the opening game of the Fall Classic.
However, the gift could mean that Maldonado may have unknowingly cheated when he used it against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Martin Maldonado (right) reportedly used an illegal bat during Game 1 of the World Series
Maldonado Pictured During Battle Practice Ahead Of The Fall Classic’s Opening Game
The bat barrel exceeded the maximum allowable limit after MLB made a rule change during the 2010-11 off-season.
The rule violation was brought to light after it was announced that Maldonado had switched bats for Game 2 on Saturday-evening.
Tom Verducci broke the news during Fox’s broadcast of the second game of the World Series, revealing that the MLB had informed Maldonado that he had not used a legal bat during Game 1.
The Astros catcher was reportedly sent off the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols
“Martin Maldonado is using a different bat here in Game 2 today,” said Verducci. He found out today from MLB that the bat he used last night was not a legal bat.
“It was a model he got from Albert Pujols, and he used it because he thought it was very similar in size and weight to his own model. The vessel, he said, was slightly larger.
“He also thought it was a way to honor the baseball legend, retiring at the end of the season, of course, but here’s the snag, guys: In 2010, Major League Baseball changed the bat specs and that bat that Pujols modeled was no more, except if you played before 2010, it was grandfather.
Tom Verducci revealed during the Game 2 broadcast that Maldonado used a different bat
“So Albert Pujols could use that bat, but Maldonado, who started his major league career in 2011, was legally unable to use that bat.”
Maldonado reached out to Pujols before the start of the World Series and asked Pujols to send him some bats. ESPN . Buster Olney.
The pair starred with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and 2018, and the future Hall of Famer reportedly sent half a dozen.
The duo Pujols (left) and Maldonado played with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and 2018
MLB changed the specs for all bats, reducing the maximum barrel diameter from 2.75 inches, which had been the standard for over 100 years, to 2.61 inches in 2011.
Even if Maldonado cheated, it was all for nothing, as the Phillies won Game 1 of the World Series on Friday-evening with an impressive 6-5 comeback win in extra innings.
Maldonado went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in the second inning in the loss in which the Astros had taken a 5-0 lead in the third inning before the Phillies rally.