Astros’ Maldonado forced to change bats from outdated model

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Astros catcher Martín Maldonado was forced to switch bats for Game 2 of the World Series after it was determined the model he swung in the opener was no longer allowed in the majors. Maldonado went 1 for 3 in Game 1, a 6-5 Houston loss in 10 innings to Philadelphia. The bat he used in that game was an Albert Pujols model. In 2010, Major League Baseball changed bat specifications for safety purposes, trimming the diameter of the barrel to reduce the risk of them breaking into multiple pieces. Players already in the majors could continue to swing them. Maldonado made his big league debut in 2011. MLB didn’t find Maldonado had any competitive advantage using the Pujols model, and it appeared the mix-up was an honest mistake.