Reliever Brock Burke of the Texas Rangers suffered a broken hand while punching a wall after a subpar performance against the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Burke, a left-hander, was put on the injured list on Saturday after breaking his right hand after he struck the wall “out of frustration,” according to manager Bruce Bochy.
The 27-year-old’s club won 12-8 after he gave up three hits and four runs in the seventh inning.
“We want our athletes and guys to be competitive and hate losing, but there’s a fine line with that kind of passion, and when you cross it, there will be consequences,” Bochy stated. And what transpired there was just witnessed. You adore that he was disappointed that he couldn’t provide a hand to the club last night.
Burke is now earning $1,035,000 this season, and he will keep receiving his pay even if he is sidelined.
Burke’s elbow plunking of hitter Yordan Alvarez, after nearly hitting him on three straight inside pitches, infuriated the Astros. Alvarez trotted to first base after giving Burke the cold shoulder. For his second home run of the game, Kyle Tucker hit Burke’s subsequent pitch into the second deck in left field and finished with a bat flip.
Bochy refuted the claim that Burke, who has pitched five times this season with a 15.00 ERA, was attempting to hit Alvarez.
When a pitcher is having trouble throwing strikes, “any team would be upset in that situation,” Bochy remarked. “Two pitches are made to their guy. The same way that we will be angry. However, Burke was out there in search of his game. If he had been in control of his game, he wouldn’t have been there.
Bochy stated that although he hasn’t had an opportunity to speak with Burke about what transpired, he intends to do so.
Bochy remarked, “Obviously, he regrets it.” You don’t always have time to consider the possible outcomes. You’re simply so angry and irritated. That is the drive to succeed and the hate of failure. I’ve seen this before, too.
After Houston’s regular-season finale, Astros reliever Phil Maton became enraged and punched a locker, breaking his right pinkie and missing the postseason in 2022.
Kevin Brown, a right-hander with the Yankees, fractured his non-pitching hand in 2004 after punching a wall in the clubhouse.
Burke’s position on the roster was taken by right-hander Austin Pruitt, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock.
