Astros starter Brett Oberholtzer has had better Saturdays. First, he allowed six runs on two home runs -- including a grand slam -- to the Yankees early in his outing. Then, in frustration, he intentionally threw a fastball at Alex Rodriguez, which earned him an ejection from home plate umpire Rob Drake.
Now, he’s been optioned to Triple-A Fresno. The Astros will announce a corresponding move on Sunday. According to Julia Morales of ROOT Sports, it sounds like Oberholtzer’s frustration played a role in his demotion:Hinch started presser saying he was disappointed for Oberholtzer throwing at ARod. “That’s not how we operate.” He talked to Girardi & ARod.
— Julia Morales (@JuliaMoralesRS) June 28, 2015
Oberholtzer, 25, had pitched well prior to Saturday’s disaster, carrying a 2.81 ERA with a 23/13 K/BB ratio over 32 innings. The lefty had been dealing with a blister issue throughout the season.
