- Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel helped his team get on the board
- Gurriel hit a homerun off of Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish in the second inning
- Gurriel appeared to make the gesture after returning back to the dugout
- The Astros and Dodgers are tied in the series 1-1 coming into Friday’s game in Houston
A baseball player competing in the World Series appears to have made a racist gesture at his opponent’s expense after hitting a home run.
Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel helped his team get on the board Friday evening after hitting a solo-shot against Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish in the second inning.
But after returning to the dugout, Gurriel appeared to make fun of Darvish’s Japanese heritage by pulling the corners of his eyes back with his fingers.
Darvish played six seasons in Japan before making the leap to the big leagues.
Gurriel had also played in Japan in 2014 before joining the Astros.
Social media users reacted with outrage following the facial expression, with some suggesting that Gurriel should be suspended for the rest of the series.
Commentators on Twitter also claimed they also read Gurriel’s lips and suggested he could have said the Spanish word ‘Chinito’, which means ‘little Chinese.’
The Astros lead the Dodgers in the series 2-1 after Friday’s game in Houston, ending with a 5 to 3 finish.
Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel appears to have made a racist gesture after hitting a solo-homerun off of Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish
The Astros and Dodgers are tied in the series 1-1 coming into Friday’s game in Houston
Yu Darvish #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during the first inning against the Houston Astros in game three of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park on Friday
Yuli Gurriel of the Houston Astros hits a solo home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park on Friday