Back to the Philadelphia Phillies Newsfeed

Astros catcher Martín Maldonado used an illegal bat in Game 1 of the World Series

Three weeks after they ended his career in the Wild Card Series, Albert Pujols is still making the news as it pertains to the Phillies’ playoff run.

During Game 2 of the World Series, Tom Verducci revealed on the FOX broadcast that Astros catcher Martín Maldonado used a new set of bats during Game 1 — bats gifted to him by the newly retired and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.

Maldonado had reached out to Pujols prior to the Fall Classic and asked for a few of his bats, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, and Pujols obliged by sending a half-dozen his way.