Call it 'Batgate'? Castellanos again the source of Cardinals-Reds controversy

The St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds have never been short on drama over the years, and even already in 2021. On Wednesday night, tensions returned, thanks again to Nick Castellanos.

Castellanos, the outfielder who rumbled with the Cardinals earlier this season, hit a second-inning grand slam Wednesday night in the second game of a doubleheader.

Nothing wrong with the bat… that’s just Nick Castellanos for you. pic.twitter.com/twmyacblTF

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 1, 2021

But his bat was a source of controversy.

If you’re going to check his bat after a grand slam, Castellanos will hand deliver it to you 😅 @Reds pic.twitter.com/RGYdGUUxOA

— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) September 1, 2021

Derrick Goold, Cardinals beat writer for our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, heard from an MLB official on-site in Cincinnati.

They were checking the bat to see if/how much bat was chipped when Castellanos went to the plate, according to an MLB official. They decided the bat did not determine him hitting the ball out of the park. “The bat was OK,” official says. #Reds #Cardinals

— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) September 1, 2021

Further clarification: The “rules check” had to do with two rules and equipment (bat) being used — whether the umpires had the right to allow the grand slam to stand, and it was determined they did.

Bat was removed from play for safety reasons, per official. #Cardinals #Reds

— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) September 1, 2021

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