The Houston Astros have narrowly avoided disciplinary fallout after Major League Baseball ruled on Friday that outfielder Taylor Trammell’s bat was “technically illegal,” but provided no competitive advantage, according to Chris Kirschner and Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The bat was confiscated during Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the New York Yankees.
The controversy began in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium when Trammell doubled with a runner on base. Yankees manager Aaron Boone immediately asked umpires to check the bat. After consultation with MLB’s replay operations center in New York, the bat was taken out of play. Trammell, however, was not ejected and was allowed to finish the game.
“Frankly, that was something hard for me to do, because I don’t think Taylor was up to anything — I really don’t,” Aaron Boone said Friday. “But it was brought to my attention and something that looked not right and, I think, not within the rules. So in the moment, I felt a duty to at least check in for my team. I’m frankly satisfied with the ruling, the explanation, what have you. I don’t think Taylor was up to no good at all. I do feel like in the moment that I had a duty to at least check.”
An MLB source told The Athletic that the league viewed the violation similarly to “an impermissible glove color or design and told the player that he was no longer permitted to use the bat.” However, no fines, suspensions, or team penalties have been imposed.
MLB’s Bat Supplier Regulations require that two-tone bats must feature one solid color per section, with the transition starting 18 inches from the knob or adjacent to a one-inch solid color ring. Multi-colored designs are only allowed if that transition occurs at the 18-inch mark. Trammell’s bat showed discoloration on the barrel, violating the regulation. Rule 3.02(c) also prohibits colored bats unless specifically approved by MLB.
“I appreciated the explanation,” Trammell said. “Was kind of in the dark for a little bit. But the biggest thing is the discoloration of the bat. We see it a lot with some guys when they have a wristband on or something like that, and they just have to take it off. It’s nothing crazy. Didn’t impact the ball or anything like that, was more of an aesthetic of the eye. That was basically the only thing.”
The 27-year-old outfielder has played 44 games for Houston in 2025, hitting .208 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and a .670 OPS. His production translates to a 90 wRC+. He also logged 10 games earlier this season with Triple-A Sugar Land, where he said he used the same bat.
“I was more so just concerned if I did anything wrong,” Trammell said Friday. “I don’t cut any corners or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure that, one, I didn’t want to bring any attention to the clubhouse or anything like that. We’re here to win, and I felt like that was kind of a hurdle in that. I just wanted to make sure the team knows I’m here to win.”
Historically, a similar incident involving the Astros carried harsher penalties. In 1987, Houston outfielder Billy Hatcher was suspended 10 games after his corked bat shattered in a game against the Cubs, a violation seen by the officials as a clear attempt to gain an advantage. By contrast, Trammell’s case was categorized as cosmetic, not performance-altering.
The Yankees went on to win two of three in the series, improving to 78-62 and holding the AL’s top Wild Card spot. The Astros, now 77-64, maintain a 3.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West.
