Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor has been suspended eight games and fined $5,000 by Major League Baseball for his role in the Rangers massive fight with the Toronto Blue Jays last Sunday.
Joe Garagiola, MLB's senior vice president of standards and on-field operations, handed down the suspensions this afternoon.
Unsurprisingly, Odor's suspension is the longest of those doled out in the wake of Sunday's melee. Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista was suspended for one game, thanks to his late slide into second base and his relatively-limited involvement in the fracas there forward (face notwithstanding).
Odor said before Monday's game in Oakland, “I just play the game how I play. I just play the game to win games."
Rangers pitcher Matt Bush evaded suspension, but Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Chavez got a three-game ban. Both pitchers hit batters -- Bautista and Prince Fielder, respectively. Three-game suspensions are often the standard suspension for purposefully hitting a batter with a pitch. But MLB clearly deemed Bush's actions not worthy of punishment.
Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson also was not suspended, after he was arguably the most intense Blue Jays player on the field, charging through a sea of Rangers, and spearing his way into Odor. Donaldson did, however, receive a $1,000 fine from MLB.
Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele similarly avoided suspension, after his heated interaction with the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons got a three-game suspension, not only for his involvement in the fight, but because he re-entered the field of play after he had already been ejected earlier in the game.
Toronto first base coach DeMarlo Hale also received a one-game suspension.
Odor's punch to the left cheek of Bautista will likely go down as one of the most visceral pieces of video that 2016 has to offer. It's a clip that has been looped thousands, if not millions, of times over the past 48 hours.
But as these suspensions bear out, the fight did not end there. However, somewhat surprisingly, the suspensions resulting from this fight were limited.
FULL MLB RELEASE:
DISCIPLINE FOR BLUE JAYS-RANGERS INCIDENTS ANNOUNCED
Fourteen Players/Staff Members Receive Suspensions and/or Fines;
Six Given Suspensions, Including Eight-Game Suspension for Odor
A total of 14 players and staff members of the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays have received discipline for their roles in the on-field incidents in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Major League Baseball announced today. Joe Garagiola, Jr., MLB’s Senior Vice President of Standards & On-Field Operations, made the announcement.
The following four players have received suspensions and undisclosed fines for their actions:
- Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor has received an eight-game suspension for fighting, including punching Toronto’s Jose Bautista, during the top of the eighth inning;
- Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Chavez has received a three-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Prince Fielder of the Rangers in the bottom of the eighth inning, with warnings in place for both sides;
- Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus has received a one-game suspension for his aggressive actions during the incident;
- Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista has received a one-game suspension for his actions during the incident and for his postgame comments.
In addition, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has received a three-game suspension and first base coach Tim Leiper has received a one-game suspension. Gibbons returned to the field after being ejected earlier in the game and incited further fighting. Leiper returned to the dugout following his ejection. Both Gibbons and Leiper also have received undisclosed fines.
Members of the Rangers who have received fines for various infractions are pitchers Matt Bush (intentionally threw at Bautista, causing the warnings), Sam Dyson (aggressive actions) and A.J. Griffin (being on the field while on the DL); catcher Robinson Chirinos (being on the field while on the DL); and bench coach Steve Buechele (aggressive actions). Members of the Blue Jays who have been fined are third baseman Josh Donaldson (aggressive actions); outfielder Kevin Pillar (aggressive actions); and bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who, as acting manager, received standard discipline for the intentional actions of Chavez while warnings were in effect.
Andrus has elected not to appeal and thus will serve his one-game suspension tonight, when the Rangers are scheduled to play at Oakland. Odor and Bautista have each elected to file an appeal. Thus, those two suspensions will be held in abeyance until the process is complete. The suspension of Chavez is scheduled to begin tonight, when the Blue Rays are to host the Rays. If Chavez elects to appeal, then his suspension will be held in abeyance until the process is complete.
