Rich Hill Says Stepping off Mound to Let Yuli Gurriel Be Booed Was Intentional

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill told reporters after Tuesday night's 3-1 Game 6 win that he purposefully stepped off the mound prior to Yuli Gurriel's first at-bat to give fans more time to boo the Houston Astros first baseman.

According to the Los Angeles Times' Andy McCullough, Hill said the move was his "silent gesture" to condemn Gurriel's racist actions directed at Yu Darvish in Game 3—which have earned him a five-game suspension to begin the 2018 season.

"That's a subject that's disheartening," Hill added, per MLB.com's Joshua Thornton. "I think it's something, unfortunately, I don't think the punishment fit the action. I think, rightfully so, the fans spoke out and understood what was going on. I gave them their time to voice their opinion."  

ESPN.com's Arash Markazi relayed video of the reception Gurriel received when he stepped into the batter's box:

Gurriel has since apologized for the offensive gesture.

"I was commenting to my [teammates] that I hadn't had any good luck against Japanese pitchers," Gurriel said, according to the Washington Post's Des Bieler. "... I didn't think anybody would think about what I meant [in that way]. I offer my apologies to baseball and anyone offended. If [Darvish] feels offended, I want to apologize to him."

Darvish told reporters Tuesday that Gurriel offered to apologize in-person, but the Dodgers ace said that wasn't necessary.

"I told him, 'Hey, you don't have to do that, because you made a comment, and like I'm not that mad,'" Darvish said, according to the Associated Press' Beth Harris (via the Washington Post). "So I really didn't care much about that."

Darvish will return to the bump against Gurriel and the Astros Wednesday evening as he attempts to help the Dodgers clinch their first World Series since 1988.