Astros players are already getting hit by pitches repeatedly in spring training

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred warned teams about trying to get revenge on the Astros' cheating scandal by hitting players with pitches.
While not every instance was malicious, if spring training is any indication, the league will have to review each hit, decide the intent, and weigh punishment to make an example of opposing pitchers.
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Through the early spring training games of the 2020 MLB season, it seems as if teams are exacting their revenge on the Houston Astros for their cheating scandal .

Numerous voices in the baseball world have criticized the Astros, who were found to have electronically stolen signs by watching a feed of opponent signals, then banging a trash can to alert batters to off-speed pitches.

While the Astros were fined $5 million and docked first- and second-round draft picks, and the team fired GM Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch, players were not punished. MLB granted players immunity for taking part in the investigation.

Since the scandal came to light, there was talk of retribution in the form of intentionally hitting Astros batters with pitches. Despite a warning from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred about throwing at Astros players, so far in spring training, there has been an uptick in "beanballs."

Through five spring training games, the Astros have been hit by pitches seven times. Meanwhile, they have hit their opponents three times.

That's an increase from the first five games of last year's spring training, where one Astros player was hit by a pitch, while three opponents had been hit by pitches.

According to MLB.com , players have been hit by pitches 80 times so far in spring training. Jimmy Kerrigan of the Minnesota Twins and Roman Quinn of the Philadelphia Phillies are the only two players to have been hit by pitches more than once.

However, the Astros lead all teams with seven players hit by pitches almost 9% of all instances this spring training. The Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and St. Louis Cardinals have been hit by pitches six times through spring training.

It's important to note that some of the players hit by pitches, like catcher Dustin Garneau or infielder Alex De Goti, were not with the Astros before this year. There would be little reason for retribution. But other players like Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, who have both been hit by pitches, have arguably been the faces of the Astros the last three years.

It's difficult to say each of these instances has been malicious.

The Astros' reception at opposing ballparks doesn't help the optics. So far, players like Altuve have been booed when they take the plate in spring training.

Even other leagues are getting in on it. The St. Paul Saints of the American Association are giving away trashcan bobbleheads called "Astro The Grouch."

MLB will be put in a difficult position over the course of the season. According to USA Today, last year, six pitchers were suspended for hitting players with pitches. The league this year will be tasked with reviewing each instance and deciding if a ball simply got away from a pitcher, or if there was any intent behind it. MLB may decide to make an example of any pitcher they think intentionally threw a beanball by severely punishing them to curb the practice.