Altercation Leaves Reporter Bruised
Will Costello Return?
The reporter had asked Costello, who has a player option for $9M to come back to Yellow Springs, whether he would be playing in Ohio come next April.
Having been a full-time player earlier in his career, Costello had been asked to play a part-time, platoon role with the Nine, an act that dropped some of his numbers. That said, his 12 homer, .278/.329/.536 result in 2042 was arguably the best of his past half-decade or so—scoring in at just over a WAR. Rumors have been circulating that the outfielder would forgo his 1-season deal in hopes of signing s contract with greater security. He was said to have approached the team earlier this year and asked for a three-season extension—a timeframe the team seemed uninterested in matching.
“Luis is a quality outfielder, and I’m happy to have him on the team,” said manager Sam Brewington after hearing of the incident. “We all understand our position in the world, and we want to help you (reporters) get your job done, but really, sometimes I think you could have a little more tact. Luis will make his decision on his own time, and I support him doing what’s right for him and his family. That said, I’ve got a place for him on our roster, so I’ll admit to a little bias there.”
The reporter, Ken Bires, from WBYS-13 visited an Urgent Care facility and was given a full examination and a pair of Tylenol.