Major League Baseball suspended Rougned Odor eight games for rearranging Jose Bautista’s face with his fist, but that’s not going to stop one Texas Rangers minor league affiliate from capitalizing on the punch.
Advertisement
Major League Baseball disciplined 14 players and staff for their roles during Sunday’s brawl in Arlington, Texas. Once the game resumed, during the bottom of the eighth inning, Blue Jays reliever Jesse Chavez plunked Rangers’ Prince Fielder with a pitch, and both teams left their dugouts once more, although no punches were thrown.
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. Bautista’s late, hard slide into Odor – a double play was called as Bautista violated the new rules governing slides into second base – caused a quick reaction from the Rangers’ second baseman.
Other suspensions handed out for the brawl include Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who got one game for his “aggressive actions during the incident”. Odor, Bautista and Chavez have elected to appeal and will be able to play until the process is complete. If Odor appeals the suspension, he likely would still be able to play against the Astros.
“We just thought it would be a amusing thing if we offered Rougie free food because he wasn’t the only one who wanted to punch Bautista after a year ago”, owner Travis Heim told NBC 5. Gibbons started serving his time on Tuesday night, allowing DeMarlo Hale to manage the club against Tampa Bay. Rangers Matt Bush, Sam Dyson, A.J. Griffin, Robinson Chirinos and bench coach Steve Buechele were fined.
The bad blood between the teams began in Game Five of last season’s ALDS when Jose Bautista flipped his bat in dramatic fashion after homering off Texas. He served it on Tuesday night, with hitting coach Eric Owens taking his place at first.
Advertisement
Odor shoved Bautista and then landed a direct punch flush to the Blue Jay’s head. “So you know, it’s kind of a justice, a little bit”.
