Astros coach given unprecedented 20-game suspension for taunting a player and starting a brawl

• Houston Astros coach Alex Cintron and Oakland A's outfielder Ramon Laureano were suspended 20 games and 6 games, respectively, for a benches-clear brawl on Sunday.
• Cintron, who instigated the fight after Laureano was hit by a pitch, is believed to have gotten the longest suspension for a coach in MLB history, according to USA Today.
• Laureano later said Cintron said something derogatory about his mother, though he regretted charging the Astros dugout.

MLB came down hard on Houston Astros coach Alex Cintron on Tuesday, suspending him for 20 games after instigating a brawl with the Oakland A's on Sunday.

A's outfielder Ramon Laureano, who had charged the Astros bench after getting hit by a pitch, was suspended six games.

The brawl happened in the bottom of the seventh inning after a pitch hit Laureano for the third time during the series and second time of the day. As he walked to first base, he began talking to the Astros bench. An alternate angle showed Cintron, an Astros hitting coach, waving Laureano to come at him, instigating the fight. Once Laureano charged the dugout, both teams cleared their dugouts to break up the fight, breaking social-distancing protocols in the process.

Here's a video of the fight that shows Cintron's part in the altercation.

—A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) August 9, 2020

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Cintron was also fined, with MLB calling his actions inexcusable.

According to Nightengale, the 20-game suspension is believed to be the longest for an MLB coach (not a manager). The suspension would translate to 54 games in a normal, 162-game season.

Laureano later told reporters that Cintron said something derogatory about his mother. He said he regretted charging the dugout.

"I don't take that lightly," Laureano said (via USA Today). "I don't think anyone would take that lightly."

He added: "I couldn't keep my cool. And I should have instead of wasting my time with that guy."