Astros fans catch Dodgers, Max Muncy after Albert Pujols ‘illegal bat’ controversy

The Dodgers’ 2021 acquisition of Albert Pujols went from a somewhat depressing attempt to revive a future Hall of Famer’s stalled career to a legendary addition, adding a Tío to the locker room out of nowhere.

Who knew that the move — which injected life into both the clubhouse and Pujols’ career — would eventually get the Dodgers looped into an Astros World Series controversy the next fall?

Houston fans have been scrambling from the day the cheating allegations dropped back in 2020 to the present, attempting to turn over every stone that might potentially reveal a whataboutism that successfully deflects from their own misdeeds. Did another MLB player claim that other teams were engaged in sign-stealing schemes back in 2017? Because the Astros Fan Bell just went off, and that’s typically what that signifies.

Whether the Astros were scapegoated (they weren’t) or railroaded (they weren’t), you’d better make sure there aren’t any skeletons in your closet if you come after them online, which is the modern equivalent of “living under a bridge.”

Dodgers fans were particularly unlucky this time around, considering the Astros’ latest misdeed hit close to home. Tom Verducci lit another fire when he mentioned casually on the Game 2 broadcast that catcher Martin Maldonado had been using an illegal bat the night before. See, Albert Pujols has long used the bat, which was deemed illegal for safety reasons and often splinters. Pujols was allowed to continue using the equipment because his career began before 2010, and it was grandfathered in. Maldonado hadn’t debuted yet. Therefore, illegal.

Why he was allowed to continue using a “dangerous” bat, we’re not sure. But anytime “the Astros” and “illegal” are matched together and dismissed so callously, the Twittersphere is bound to erupt.

And, sadly, whenever “the Dodgers” and “Pujols’ bat” are similarly linked, expect a Houston rebuke.

Dodgers fans don’t have a leg to stand on with Astros illegal bat controversy

Pujols officially signed his retirement papers on Tuesday, and with his departure from MLB goes one of the last bastions of illegal maple bat use.

Unfortunately, when you’ve got a public slip-up like this one, where the team account literally bragged about Max Muncy going yard with an “illegal” Pujols bat last year, that’s a reason to lay low rather than jump headfirst into the World Series trash talk.

Dodgers fans in glass houses probably don’t want to throw stones this time of year, especially while the dreaded Astros are still making a playoff push.

Now, if Framber Valdez gets busted for sticky stuff? Go wild, Dodgers Nation. But just know that a Carlos Correa signing could be lurking around the corner for you to deal with, too.

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