Eugenio Suárez Says Hector Neris Called Julio Rodríguez Anti-Gay Slur in MLB Game

Benches cleared during a matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros on Wednesday, and an all-out brawl nearly ensued after Hector Neris allegedly called Julio Rodríguez an anti-gay slur.

In the sixth inning of Wednesday's game at T-Mobile Park, Neris struck out Rodríguez and then proceeded to walk toward the outfielder, yelling something at him before the benches cleared.

Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who was in the on-deck circle at the time of the altercation, alleged that Neris called Rodríguez an anti-gay slur while speaking with reporters after the game.

"From the beginning, I thought it was a joke, because before today they (had) a really good relationship," Suarez said, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. "And then he started talking bad words in Spanish. He started doing something that is not good for people who speak Spanish and understand. I was in the on-deck circle and I heard that. That pissed me off."

Neris downplayed the incident after the game, telling reporters that Rodríguez is "my friend," adding that "… It's part of the game. It's part of the moment."

Rodríguez, for his part, said he was "shocked" by the incident and that he didn't think there was any animosity between the two after being teammates on the Dominican Republic team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Major League Baseball has yet to address Suárez's allegations against Neris, according to TMZ Sports. It's unclear if the league plans to open an investigation into the matter.

The Astros defeated the Mariners 8-3 on Wednesday to improve to 87-72. Neris struck out three batters in one inning.