Umpire Doug Eddings has apologized to St. Louis Cardinals rookie pitcher Hancel Rincon after an incident involving Rincon's hat during his Major League Baseball debut. The situation also resulted in the ejection of Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol from the game.
Rincon confirmed the apology, stating that Eddings told him "good luck for the rest of my career as a big-leaguer." According to reports, Rincon told Eddings not to worry about the incident, indicating it was not personal.
The controversy began Friday night when Eddings instructed Rincon to straighten his hat before he pitched to batter Hunter Goodman in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rincon was making his MLB debut in a game the Cardinals eventually won 7-6 against the Colorado Rockies.
Following the hat warning, Rincon allowed a triple, an inside-the-park home run, and a single before being replaced by pitcher Justin Bruihl. While Bruihl warmed up, Marmol confronted Eddings and was subsequently ejected.
Marmol expressed his frustration with the call, calling it a "power-hungry move." He noted that other prominent pitchers have worn their hats tilted similarly without issue. "I had no idea why he told me to do that," Rincon said of the initial hat warning.
Eddings told reporters after the game that the interaction was prompted by a question from Goodman regarding the hat's placement. However, Goodman has denied making such an inquiry.
In a show of solidarity, many Cardinals players wore their hats crooked during batting practice and some during Saturday's game. A few Rockies players also participated in the protest. Rincon acknowledged the support from his teammates, stating, "Obviously when you are together, like this group, we’re gonna be so much better."