Major League Baseball won't punish Detroit Tigers outfielder Tyler Collins after he made an obscene gesture to fans during a game against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night, per MLB.com's Jason Beck.
"To hear boos after that play hit a trigger inside of me, and I lashed out, completely inappropriately," Collins said after the game, per ESPN.com's Katie Strang. "I'm absolutely embarrassed, and I'm very sorry to everyone in Detroit."
The incident occurred in the sixth inning of what proved to be a 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics. Collins lost a fly ball by Marcus Semien in the Comerica Park lights. Once the ball hit the ground, the home fans loudly booed Collins, and he reacted:
According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, a suspension would've carried somewhat significant ramifications for the team:
The 25-year-old isn't the first Tigers player to show his dissatisfaction with the Detroit crowd. In August 2014, then-closer Joe Nathan apologized for an inappropriate gesture directed toward fans:
There was also some precedent MLB could've used had it decided to suspend Collins. Jonathan Papelbon earned a seven-game ban in September 2014 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies after grabbing his crotch as he exited the field, as well as making contact with umpire Joe West.
MLive.com's Chris Iott noted it's possible the league fined Collins since MLB doesn't publicly announce monetary forms of punishment.
Considering the threat of missed games loomed, Collins got off relatively easy in the event MLB only hit him in the wallet.
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