Bruce Rondon was sent home early from Detroit back in September for what Tigers manager Brad Ausmus called “effort level” issues. Once labeled the Tigers’ closer of the future, Rondon finished the 2015 major league season with a rough 5.81 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 31 innings.
The trouble has now followed the hard-throwing 25-year-old into winter ball back in his native country.
Rondon entered a game Saturday in the seventh inning for Navegantes del Magallanes and promptly struck Bravos de Margarita outfielder Jose Osuna with a 1-0 pitch. Rondon then threw over to first base and began challenging Osuna, a prospect in the Pirates’ system, to meet him at the mound. You can probably guess what happened next ...