It feels like an eternity ago, but in the lead-up to the 2020 MLB season, the Houston Astros were looking at a brutal experience from opposing fans.
The team was at the center of a multi-season cheating scandal that included the 2017 World Series champions. And up until the coronavirus pandemic sent MLB games behind closed doors, fans had been waiting for an opportunity to heckle anyone associated with that 2017 team.
Well, now that some fans are allowed back into stadiums for spring training, we should expect the cheating scandal to follow wherever the Astros go this season.
But, uh, let’s leave the Blue Jays’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. out of this.
Am I missing something or are Yankees fans booing the wrong Gurriel brother? lmfaoooooooo
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) February 28, 2021
Fans yelling "BOOOO CHEATER" at Lourdes Gurriel Jr LOL the brother of 2017 Astros player Yuli Gurriel
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) February 28, 2021
The Blue Jays opened their Grapefruit League schedule on Sunday against the Yankees, and when Gurriel Jr. stepped to the plate, he was booed, heckled and called a “cheater” by some fans in Tampa.
The problem: Gurriel Jr. never played for the Houston Astros.
These fans were confusing Lourdes with his brother, Yuli, who is still with Houston and was part of that 2017 team.
Despite the heckling, Lourdes went 1 for 3 with an RBI in the spring training opener.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. makes it 5-0 #BlueJays on a bloop single. pic.twitter.com/hX9EiCy090
— MLB News and Rumors (@MLBNewsRumor) February 28, 2021
I guess it’s spring training for the fans too.
