A D-Generation X-inspired celebration has now landed a Major League Baseball pitcher in trouble.
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Abner Uribe has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount by MLB after his viral crotch chop celebration during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 26.
The incident happened after Uribe struck out Cardinals hitter Alec Burleson to end the top of the eighth inning. Moments later, Uribe turned toward the Cardinals’ dugout and unleashed multiple exaggerated crotch chops that looked straight out of WWE’s D-Generation X playbook.
Adding to the drama, Burleson had challenged the strike call, but ABS upheld the ruling, officially ending the inning with Milwaukee leading 6-0.
While the celebration immediately generated attention online because of its obvious connection to DX, Major League Baseball wasn’t nearly as entertained. The league responded by issuing Uribe a one-game suspension along with a fine. Uribe is currently appealing the suspension.
The reaction inside Milwaukee’s clubhouse wasn’t much friendlier. After the game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy made it clear he wasn’t happy with his pitcher.
“I don’t know what got over him. I mean, he’s an emotional guy, but that kind of thing, that’s just not how we do things. I’m embarrassed by it. Why are we doing it? It’s a 6-0 game. What are we doing there?”
Uribe later apologized for the incident but suggested there was more happening between the two teams than people realized. According to Uribe, tensions had been building throughout the day, and he believed Cardinals personnel were signaling intentions to throw at Brewers hitters.
“Everyone here knows me and knows who I am, and knows I have a bit of a history of being emotional out there. I think first I owe an apology to the Brewers. I owe an apology to my teammates, to my manager, all the bosses of the team. I understand that’s unacceptable, to go out there and react in a way like that.”
However, Uribe also defended why he reacted emotionally.
“But at the same time, I don’t think it’s unprofessional for their manager to be making signs towards our dugout saying that he’s going to be hitting guys. There was an event that occurred during the practice today, too, and I don’t think that was right. So, I have my teammates’ back always.”
St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol declined to comment on the accusations. What started as a strikeout celebration quickly became one of the strangest baseball stories of the week, complete with WWE-inspired taunts, a league suspension, accusations between teams, and an appeal that could still overturn the punishment.
Do you think MLB overreacted by suspending Abner Uribe, or was the D-Generation X-style celebration crossing the line? Let us know in the comments below.
