MLB

1:10 PM PT -- Gurriel has reportedly been suspended without pay for the first 5 games of the 2018 regular season for his racist gesture. He will play in Game 4 of the WS Saturday night, though.

Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel decided to rub it in after hitting the first home run of game 3 with a gesture that has enraged Asians and others who are calling him out as racist.

Gurriel was in the dugout in the second inning after hitting one out of the park off Yu Darvish when he set his sights on Dodgers pitcher, who is from Japan.

Gurriel apologized, but the way he did it makes it even worse. He said, "I didn't mean to offend anybody in Japan. I have a lot of respect. I played in Japan. I was commenting to my [teammates] that I hadn't had any good luck against Japanese pitchers here in the U.S."

The Dodgers and Astros are slugging it out for hardball supremacy, but we here at TMZ Sports decided to take some time to give props to the real MVP's of the series, their hot WAGS.

Obviously these two teams are both championship level, but when you see what the guys have waiting at home, you'll understand just how much each team is already winning.

For the L.A. boys we got the WAGS of Justin Turner, Alex Wood and Kiké Hernandez.

But the guys from deep in the heart aren't slacking either, bringing out the big guns -- Kate Upton -- and the WAGS of OF Jake Marisnick, Tony Kemp and Carlos Correa.

J.J. Watt didn't let a little thing like a broken leg keep him from throwing out the first pitch in a HUGE Game 3 of the World Series in Houston ... and obviously -- the crowd loved it!!!

Watt's a hometown hero for raising more than $37 MILLION for Hurricane Harvey relief ... so you gotta think the fans will give him a pass for the pitch to Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel being juuuuuuust a bit outside.

J.J.'s season with the Texans is over after having a season-ending surgery a few weeks ago ... but clearly he can still have an impact on the baseball field.

The World Series hasn't just been a slugfest on the field ... Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch was involved in a heated altercation after Game 1 and cops were called ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Here's what we know ... Hinch was hanging out at the bar at the team hotel in Pasadena on Tuesday night after Houston lost Game 1 to the Dodgers.

We're told he was having some drinks -- when some hotel guests came in and started talking trash about the Astros.

Sources say Hinch "snapped" and unleashed on the other patrons -- cursing and yelling in the middle of the bar. One witness tells us the incident turned physical and cops were called to separate the two parties.

We spoke with Pasadena PD and we were told they responded to the hotel at 10:30 PM to help security "keep the peace" during an incident involving Houston Astros "team management."

We're told no arrests were made and no report was taken -- both sides ended up walking away.

Hinch clearly had some fight left in him the next day -- when he led the Astros to a come-from-behind victory over the Dodgers.

Here's Peyton Manning sliding in the pocket, audible-ing his protection, and keeping the ultimate cool all while being besieged by an unrelenting bull rush ... of World Series fans at Dodger Stadium!

The retired NFL quarterback was chillin' at Game 2 with Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, but it was when he was leaving the stadium that he displayed all the poise that made him one of the greats.

The video is actually quite amazing, Manning signs autographs, takes selfies, moves the group forward, and directs his driver to get in the car (to get him the hell out of there) like he's conducting an orchestra.

G.O.A.T.

Tommy Lasorda bleeds Dodger blue -- and that blood was boiling after Game 2 ... telling TMZ Sports, "That's one loss we shouldn't have had!"

After the Dodgers blew a 3-1 lead late in the game, critics were wondering if Dodgers manager Dave Roberts screwed up by pulling starting pitcher Rich Hill too early.

We asked Lasorda what he thought -- and he deflected -- but it's clear he was unhappy his team took the L.

Vin Scully has respectfully rejected Joe Buck -- telling TMZ Sports he won't accept Joe's offer to return to the broadcast booth for one last inning ... and it's breaking our hearts!

After Vin threw out the first pitch of Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, Buck -- who was calling the game for FOX -- said he would personally hand deliver the mic to Vin if he would consider coming back ... if only for an inning.

After the game, Vin told us it wasn't gonna happen ... saying, "No, I'm done."

As Buck pointed out, Vin spent 67 years with the Dodgers -- and he's as close to royalty as you can get in L.A.

Celebs flocked to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series for the first time in 29 years Tuesday night, and it's more of the same Wednesday ... along with a big Astros fan.

Tiger Woods followed in the footsteps of celebs in attendance for Game 1 to root on the Dodgers in Game 2, while Kate Upton's there to cheer for her fiance -- Houston pitcher Justin Verlander. Peyton Manning's also in the crowd with the Astros owner.

Before the game, Brad Paisley sang the National Anthem, and Dodgers fans were treated with something fantastic -- an appearance by legendary announcer Vin Scully.

The beloved Dodgers play-by-play man returned to the ballpark for the opening pitch, but instead of throwing it out himself, he did what he does best ... grabbed a mic and called up another Dodgers legend -- Fernando Valenzuela -- to do it for him.

It was awesome.

The fact that Colin Kaepernick and Bruce Maxwell are dealing with blatant prejudice proves that protesting is the right move -- so says Denver Broncos star Brandon Marshall.

We spoke with Marshall -- one of the NFL's first players to take a knee -- about how Maxwell -- MLB's only player to take a knee -- was allegedly denied service by a pro-Trump waiter ... and Brandon saw a silver lining in the "ridiculous" act.

"It kind of just proves our point," he told TMZ Sports.

"Just like, I heard that Colin, I guess he just got a million-dollar book deal ... there was a lot comments, a lot of hate comments – and they’re just proving our point."

Point being -- "Those things need to be brought to light because prejudice is still (very) much alive in our society."

The manager of the restaurant where Oakland A's catcher Bruce Maxwell claims he was refused service by a pro-Trump waiter claims the MLB player is lying through his teeth.

Maxwell -- the only MLB player who took a knee during the national anthem this season -- told TMZ Sports he was recognized by a waiter at an Alabama restaurant after the protest ... and the guy refused to serve him.

Maxwell said the server told him he supported Trump, disagreed with the protest, and refused to serve him lunch.

But Anne Whalen -- the manager at Keegan's restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama -- tells TMZ Sports ... the story just ain't true.

Whalen says there was a dispute that day ... but it was over alcohol -- someone in Maxwell's party didn't have ID and the restaurant refused to serve that person beer.

Whalen also told Fox News, "He is outright lying. This is really upsetting as he was given full service."

Yasiel Puig's 8-month-old boy bleeds Dodger blue (through his dome) just like daddy -- stuntin' with a colored faux hawk for Game 1 of the World Series!

The Dodgers slugger went true blue with his hairdo for the game ... and apparently, so did baby Daniel.

Yasiel and his GF, Andrea de la Torre, documented the process -- and we think the kid might've outdone his pops on cuteness alone.

FYI, L.A. went up 1-0 on the 'Stros on Tuesday ... but Puig went 0 for 3.

Maybe change up the hair again?

Traffic at Dodger Stadium was terrible last night -- unless you were Lady Gaga, who battled the crowd in her $200k Lamborghini Huracan.

The singer showed up to Game 1 of the World Series in the same whip she took to the Super Bowl in Houston ... a whip that goes from 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds. Not bad.

Gaga didn't talk much -- but she was cool with fans, posing for pics on the way in.

After the game, Gaga wasn't in the mood to fight the even crazier traffic out of the stadium -- and got in the back of a waiting SUV. Can't blame her.

Yasiel Puig is showing his true colors -- DODGER BLUE, BABY!!

The Dodgers stud broke out the hair dye and did a little colorwork on his fro-hawk before taking the field against the Houston Astros for Game 1 of the World Series.

It was definitely a process ... Puig first bleached his hair blonde before turning things blue. We think it turned out pretty good!

Now, Puig and the Dodgers have gotta deliver on the field ... or else he'll have a different case of the blues.

UFC star Derrick Lewis says an Astros World Series championship would be HUGE for Houston ... 'cause it's exactly the boost his city needs after Hurricane Harvey.

"We need the money," Lewis told TMZ Sports. "All the bars and the sports stores ... hopefully we continue doing great things and they'll dish it back out to the city."

He would know -- in the weeks after the hurricane hit, "The Black Beast" went full Dark Knight, abandoning fight camp to rescue flood victims in H-Town.

Derrick says he ain't too concerned about this series, though -- 'cause the Dodgers won't take A SINGLE GAME from the 'Stros!

"I believe we'll sweep 'em, 4-0 ... mark my words."

Dodger fans obviously see the series going very differently ... including Blue Crew lifer Danny Trejo, who told us why it's L.A.'s year.

Larry King has made MILLIONS over the years -- but he's drawing a hard line when it comes to how much he'll shell out for World Series tickets.

Don't get it twisted, King -- a HUGE Dodgers fan -- will be sitting in his usual home plate seats for Game 1 on Tuesday. But with tix in his section running at least $6,000 each, he's sending his kids to the nosebleed section.

"My sons who usually sit behind home plate, they're gonna be up in upper left field," King told us Monday night on his way out of Craig's.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will all be upright Tuesday when the National Anthem is sung before game 1 of the World Series ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us, none of the players will take a knee, which is consistent with the entire season ... not a single member of the team has taken a knee. In fact, aside from one Oakland player, there has been no such protest on any team for the entire season.

Our sources say it's such a "nonissue" for the Dodgers ... management hasn't even spoken to the players about it.