7- Miami Marlins- RHP Jose Urena
Jose Urena made a name for himself with one action in 2018. The starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins intentionally drilled Ronald Acuna with the first pitch in a game in late August.
The Atlanta Braves young star had been on a tear. Going into play, he had homered in five straight games, including three in a row against the Marlins.
Urena was ejected and later suspended. This incident spurred an ongoing debate over the brutality of the unwritten rules of baseball.
6- Cleveland Indians- RHP Trevor Bauer
Trevor Bauer is a newer villain in the MLB Baseballverse. The Indians pitcher has made a name for himself with his pitching, attitude and his Twitter handle.
After the Indians were swept in the ALDS, a heckler targeted BauerOutage on Twitter by asking the Indians’ righty, “Would you consider yourself someone who got swept?”
Bauer responded by tweeting “Sweep deez nutz across your face”.
Trevor Bauer also has a very public riff with Astros’ righty, Gerrit Cole. The two pitchers were college teammates at UCLA, but now refuse to talk to each other.
Bauer’s most well-known incident occurred during his club’s 2017 playoff push. The righty was scheduled to start game two of the ALCS but was pushed back to game three because he needed stitches to repair a cut on his pitching hand. This story becomes bizarre when you hear what cut Bauer’s finger…
The Cleveland Indians starter cut his finger while he was attempting to repair his drone. He plugged the drone in and the propellers spun and cut his finger at full speed. Bauer was then removed in the first inning of game three as his stitches opened up while he was on the mound.
5- Houston Astros- 3B Alex Bregman
Like Bauer, Alex Bregman is also a new villain in the MLB Baseballverse. Bregman also happens to be one of Trevor Bauer’s main foes.
The Astros’ third baseman made his presence felt during the 2018 season. The righty had a breakout year on the field and in front of the camera.
Bregman started the team’s patented “camera stare down” after home runs, he is not afraid to trash talk with other player’s on Twitter, and he always seems to have a fun postgame quote.
In May, Bregman targeted Trevor Bauer on Twitter after Bauer accused Astros’ pitchers of doctoring baseballs. Bregman tweeted back, “Relax Tyler … those World Series balls spin a little different…. ”
After the Astros swept the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS, Bregman got in front of the post-game cameras and announced that the Astros were ready for prime time baseball, following the club’s rare three consecutive playoff afternoon games.
Before game three of the ALCS, Bregman uploaded a video to Instagram of the Astros’ taking then Tampa Bay Rays starter, Nathan Eovaldi, deep in three consecutive at-bats.
Alex Bregman has evolved into an overall star and embodies the swagger of the Houston Astros. Bregman will likely continue being the villain of the Astros as he will only continue to improve.