Fans are calling Chas McCormick dirty after the Astros outfielder took a swipe at Mariners first baseman Ty France's glove.
The Astros already have a less-than-stellar reputation in baseball these days. Chas McCormick did the team no favors in cleaning up their image on Thursday night.
The outfielder was running to first base in the bottom of the ninth when he reached out and slapped Mariners first baseman Ty France's arm as he ran by. The bold and potentially dangerous attempt to disrupt the catch ultimately failed as McCormick was called out.
He was called a whole lot of other things after it as wel.
You can watch the play unfold here:
McCormick has no baseball reasons to make that move with his hand. And there is no excuse for doing it.
Mariners fans call out Chas McCormick for dirty play on Ty France
Mariners fans were especially incensed because France got injured last season when his arm was accidentally caught by a runner at first base. A player purposefully reaching out to interfere with a first baseman's glove could result in injury just as easily. It's fortunate in this case it doesn't look like there was any damage.
McCormick has some apologizing to do. Whether or not France was hurt on the play is irrelevant. That's an illegal and dirty play.
Of course, Mariners fans also think he deserves a suspension but that element doesn't seem likely.
McCormick was the second out of the inning. Seattle promptly ended the game on a fly-out, sealing the 5-1 victory to start the series. They'll go at it again on Friday night in Houston with all eyes on McCormick. There may be an extra touch of bad blood to the rest of the four-game series after Thursday's ending.
