NEW YORK (AP) – Pittsburgh pitcher Keone Kela has been suspended for 10 games, wild-swinging Cincinnati reliever Amir Garrett for eight and Yasiel Puig for three after a furious brawl between the Pirates and Reds.
Major League Baseball issued eight suspensions Thursday, two days after the fight at Great American Ball Park.
Three players on each team were suspended, and all elected to appeal. They will be allowed to play until the process is complete.
Reds manager David Bell was suspended six games, starting last night when Cincinnati played at Atlanta. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was penalized two games, to begin tonight when the Pirates host the New York Mets.
Puig was suspended for his aggressive actions on what turned out to be his last day with the Reds. The outfielder was later traded to Cleveland, which hosted Houston last night.
Pirates infielder Jos Osuna was suspended five games while Pittsburgh pitcher Kyle Crick and Reds pitcher Jared Hughes each got three.
All of the suspended players were fined undisclosed amounts. Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams, Reds first baseman Joey Votto and Reds outfielder Phillip Ervin also were fined, as were several players on both teams for taking part in the brawl while on the injured list.
The NL Central rivals have a history of run-ins that included a fracas in April at PNC Park.
“The incidents between these two clubs remain a source of concern, and it’s reflected by the level of discipline we are handing down today,” MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre said.
“Everyone on the field should be aware of the example they are setting for fans, particularly young people. I firmly expect these two managers and all others to hold their players accountable for appropriate conduct and to guide them in the right direction,” he said.
The Reds and Pirates next play on Aug. 23 at Pittsburgh – that game, incidentally, was already billed as fireworks night.
Kela was penalized for throwing a pitch near the head of Derek Dietrich in the seventh and “for his role in instigating the bench-clearing incident.” Garrett was docked for “for inciting the bench-clearing incident by running to the area outside the Pirates dugout and throwing a punch” in the ninth inning.
Hughes has suspended for throwing a pitch at Starling Marte.
Bell’s penalty combined several elements – returning to the field after already being ejected, escalating the fight, the Reds’ intentional pitch at Marte and “his numerous ejections this season,” MLB said.
Hurdle’s suspension took into account “his club’s multiple intentional pitches thrown at Derek Dietrich this season.”
The Reds and Pirates tangled in April after Dietrich admired his home run, causing the benches to empty. Puig was at the center of that scrape, taking on the Pirates by himself at one point. Puig got a two-game suspension and Bell a one-game ban.
There were eight ejections Tuesday night, with tempers flaring in the eighth inning after Kela threw up-and-in to Dietrich. Votto yelled into the Pirates dugout between innings, taking exception to the pitch. Separately, Bell was ejected for arguing after a strike was called with Puig at bat in the eighth.
Hughes hit Marte with his first pitch in the ninth, bringing things to a boil. Garrett later traded words from the mound with Williams, who was on the Pirates bench. Garrett then ran to the dugout and started swinging as the benches emptied.
Bell emerged from the Reds dugout and ran across the field toward Hurdle, who was shoved to the ground. Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein got Bell in a headlock. Bell screamed profanities at Hurdle as he left the field.
Pittsburgh won 11-4, and Bell later contended the Pirates throw at batters purposely. Bell and Hurdle exchanged lineup cards with the umpires before Wednesday’s game but didn’t interact, and Cincinnati won 4-1 in a quiet game.
Hurdle pointed out pregame Wednesday that he was hit in the head three times as a player. He said he’s never told one of his pitchers to throw at a hitter, contrary to Bell’s opinion.
“He’s going to think what he thinks, he’s going to feel what he feels,” Hurdle said. “I just shared with him, as he was telling me what I was (during the brawl), I just said you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Bell, Puig, Garrett and bench coach Freddie Benavides were ejected from the Reds. Williams, Crick, Chris Archer and Francisco Cervelli – who is on the injured list – were ejected from the Pirates.
