A longtime fixture in Cuban baseball, Gurriel played in Japan in 2014, with the permission of the Cuban government. Two years later, he defected and signed a multiyear deal with the Astros, and he is now part of a standout infield. He never specifically referred to the hand gesture he made near his eyes, and the interview was halted by an Astros official before reporters could clarify if Gurriel understood how offensive the gesture was considered. If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind.”Gurriel said he would like to talk to Darvish about the incident. “I want to apologize to him,” Gurriel said, “and tell him I did not mean to offend him.”

Source: New York Times October 28, 2017 07:52 UTC