Laureano: Astros' Cintron said 'something you don't say about my mother'

Tensions boiled over during the finale of a three-game set between the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros on Sunday, culminating in A's outfielder Ramon Laureano storming the opposing dugout, and seemingly Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron in particular.

Cintron "said in Spanish something you don't say about my mother," Laureano told Jeff Passan of ESPN.

An Astros employee speaking on Cintron's behalf denied Laureano's accusation, but did not go into details about what was said.

"(My parents) sacrificed their life for me," Laureano, a native of Dominican Republic who was originally drafted by the Astros, added. "They made the tough decision to let their own kid go to the States by himself and follow his own dreams. I've been away from my family for 10 years. It's tough to be away from them. Any chance I have to be with them, I feel like I'm in heaven. So for him to say that to me about my mom, it doesn't sit well. I've got a fire inside me right away in that second."

Laureano showed some contrition about the incident, saying "I regret charging (Cintron) because he's a loser," adding that he expects a suspension but hopes "it's not many games." The outfielder also added "I get along with everyone on the Astros."

Cintron - who is held to a higher standard of behavior as a coach - could face a much longer ban, sources told Passan.

Multiple A's teammates have weighed in since the fracas, saying it's uncharacteristic for Laureano to be aggressive. Right-hander Chris Bassitt said he "does not have that in his body to just attack people like that," during an appearance on MLB Network Radio. "He's not like that. He's a great ballplayer who has great character." Bassitt also called out the league for having a "double standard" for protecting the Astros.

The 26-year-old has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball to start the season, posting a .278/.406/.519 slash line with three homers over 16 games.