Gurriel says he learned from suspension over racial gesture
As he completes his five-game suspension that stemmed from a racially insensitive gesture during Game 3 of last season's World Series, Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel says he became more enlightened as a result of the incident.
"I learned about things that may seem insignificant, but that are important," Gurriel - who originally hails from Cuba - told Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today Sports, while adding that he didn't realize the gesture would be considered offensive in the United States. "Since I went through that bad experience, it’s worth learning from it. And I'm going to share that knowledge with other people who might come here from elsewhere just like me, so something like that doesn’t happen to them."
After hitting a home run off Yu Darvish last October, Gurriel was seen in the dugout mocking the Japanese right-hander by slanting his eyes and uttering "chinito," which translates to "Chinese guy" in Spanish.
Gurriel, who was later booed at Dodger Stadium, also received harsh criticism from Los Angeles pitcher Rich Hill. The incident led to MLB handing down the five-game suspension - to be served at the start of this season instead of during the World Series - and assigned Gurriel mandatory sensitivity training. The Astros donated the player's lost salary to charity, and Gurriel apologized to Darvish.
"Getting into a situation like that during the World Series with all the attention it draws, and then to have your teammates support you, it gives you a big confidence lift," Gurriel added. "You really appreciate your teammates, because in a moment like that you need them."
Despite being eligible to return Tuesday, Gurriel's 2018 debut will be put on hold. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list following Monday's game, manager A.J. Hinch confirmed to reporters, including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. In February, Gurriel underwent hand surgery and missed most of spring training as result.
The 33-year-old hit .299/.332/.486 with 118 wRC+ and 1.8 WAR across 139 games last season.