Alex Bregman hits home run and then gets hit by a pitch

Former LSU baseball star Alex Bregman will probably deal with plenty of inside pitches this season.

Houston Astros third basemen Alex Bregman is probably going to take a few pitches to the back this season, thanks to his involvement in the Astros’ trash can banging scheme in 2017.

On Wednesday, Bregman was hit by a pitch for the first time during spring training, though it didn’t appear to be intentional.

St Louis Cardinals pitcher Ramon Santos hit Bregman with a two strike splitter. That’s typically not how a batter gets intentionally hit.

Earlier in the game, Bregman hit his first home run of the spring off Angel Rondon.

After the game, Bregman told reporters he didn’t feel he was intentionally hit, saying he believed the pitch just got away from Santos.

I’m sure Bregman’s right. I doubt any pitchers will be intentionally throwing at Astros during spring training. MLB has already said it won’t be tolerated, so I doubt anyone wants to face a suspension for something that happens in a game that doesn’t even count.

Now, once the regular season begins?

That’s a different story.

I imagine we’ll see quite a few inside pitches that “get away”. And I sure Bregman, despite the fact he was a young player in 2017 with less than a year of experience in the big leagues, will be one of the main players targeted by opposing pitchers.

While I have no doubt that Houston players will get hit this season, hopefully no one is aiming 100 mph fastballs at anyone’s head.

Unwritten rules or not, trying to hurt an opposing player is just wrong.