But Manfred was right in saying that World Series games are far more significant than a midseason game for the Oakland A’s or the Toronto Blue Jays. Maybe that sounds crass, but there is no disputing it. And while Manfred would not declare five games as the new standard price for intolerant words or actions during a game — he said he would deal with each situation on its own merits — the penalty for Gurriel does exceed all recent punishments, including the three-game ban given to Yunel Escobar, then of Toronto, for wearing eye black inscribed with an anti-gay slur in 2012.

Gurriel, for his part, said after Friday’s game that he was surprised by the furor over his gesture. He mentioned his experiences in Japan — he played for the Yokohama BayStars in 2014 — and said that he respected Japanese people.

“I did not want to offend anybody,” he said through an interpreter.

As for his characterization of Darvish as a “chinito,” a word that can be demeaning to Asians, Gurriel said that in Cuba, the term applies to anyone who is Asian, not just to Japanese people, although that did not amount to much of an excuse.

In any case, he added that he understood he was wrong. In a statement on Saturday, Gurriel apologized to Darvish and called his gesture “indefensible.”

Not surprisingly, both managers in the Series were asked to comment on Gurriel and his punishment.

“We support everything that’s right about this game, and we’ll move forward, if everyone will allow us to,” Astros Manager A. J. Hinch said. “Knowing Yuli, knowing what he will do to convince everyone that this incident was not in his heart, will be key.”

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts, who was born in Japan and whose mother is Japanese, said he approved of the way Manfred had handled the incident.

Gurriel, who was batting .340 in the postseason and was in the starting lineup for Game 4, has delivered on his promise since the Astros signed him for five years and $47.5 million after he defected last year. He made a smooth transition from third base to first while batting .299 with 18 homers, 75 runs batted in and 43 doubles this season.