Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell had his bat confiscated during the ninth inning of Thursday night’s game against the New York Yankees after umpires ruled it was technically illegal under MLB equipment guidelines.
League officials later determined the bat gave Trammell no competitive advantage and treated the situation as they would an impermissible glove design, simply telling the player he could no longer use it.
According to MLB regulations, a two-color bat must feature a clean division of solid colors beginning 18 inches from the knob. Trammell’s bat showed discoloration on the barrel, prompting Yankees manager Aaron Boone to request an inspection after Trammell doubled.
“Frankly, that was something hard for me to do, because I don’t think Taylor was up to anything — I really don’t,” 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… I don’t think Taylor was up to no good at all.”
Trammell and Astros manager Joe Espada said they heard from MLB the following day and considered the matter closed.
“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… Didn’t impact the ball or anything like that, was more so of an aesthetic of the eye.”
The 26-year-old added that he has used the same bat for a long time, including during his stint with Triple-A Sugar Land, and attributed the fading color to wear and tear.
“I was more so just concerned if I did anything wrong,” Trammell said. “I don’t cut any corners… We’re here to win and I felt like that was kind of a hurdle in that.”
Trammell, who briefly played for the Yankees in 2024 before joining Houston, is hitting .236 with a 90 wRC+ in 44 games this season. He also made it clear there are no hard feelings toward his former team.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys over there,” Trammell said. “They traded me over here, which for me, has been a great opportunity. I love it here. My wife loves it here. It’s a great organization.”
His only lingering question: whether he’ll get the bat back.
“I probably just want it to have it just ’cause. I can have a story to tell my grandkids about it,” Trammell said. “It’s a cool, funny story. But I don’t know if they’ll give it back.”