4:36pm: The suspension was decreased to 2 video games, studies Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X hyperlink). Uceta additionally acquired an undisclosed wonderful.
3:56pm: Uceta won’t enchantment the choice, Money tells Topkin. The appropriate-hander’s three-game suspension will start tonight.
2:55pm: Main League Baseball introduced this afternoon that Rays righty Edwin Uceta has acquired a three-game suspension and an undisclosed wonderful for throwing at Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos in final evening’s recreation. Tampa Bay supervisor Kevin Money has acquired a one-game suspension. Uceta can enchantment if he chooses and would nonetheless be eligible to take the sector whereas the enchantment course of performs out. Money is serving his suspension tonight, per the league’s announcement. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Instances first reported the small print surrounding the suspensions.
Uceta entered final evening’s recreation within the eighth inning with two males on base and one out in what was then a 4-4 tie. He promptly yielded a two-run double to outfielder Cal Stevenson, struck out catcher Garrett Stubbs, allowed an RBI single to infielder Buddy Kennedy after which served up a two-run homer to Trea Turner. Bryce Harper adopted with a double. Uceta then hit Castellanos on the hip with a 96.2 mph sinker on the primary pitch of the subsequent plate look, prompting each benches to clear (video hyperlink). Castellanos and Harper, specifically, have been animated with their anger and what they clearly believed to be intent behind the pitch.
Castellanos stated after the sport that he had “an amazing sense that I used to be about to get drilled,” earlier than even getting into the batter’s field (hyperlink through Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Harper was additionally vocal within the aftermath, stating that throwing at a participant with intent “shouldn’t be one thing that you need to settle for as Main League Baseball” — significantly in an period the place as we speak’s pitchers can throw so exhausting. “We’re in a race proper now,” Harper continued. “We’re doing our factor. We’re attempting to get into the postseason. A man desires to drill him. It’s not proper.”
Uceta, naturally, maintained whereas talking by an interpreter that he didn’t intend to plunk Castellanos — the primary batter he’s hit all season in 36 1/3 innings (138 batters confronted) and simply the third batter he’s hit in his MLB profession (314 plate appearances).
Even with that dismal outing, Uceta’s ERA on the season stands at 1.49. He’s quietly emerged as an essential bullpen piece for Tampa Bay since signing a minor league deal within the winter and having his contract chosen to the massive league roster again in Could. A part of Uceta’s success this season has been impeccable command. He’s walked simply 4.3% of the opponents he’s confronted (towards a large 37% strikeout charge).
That alone doesn’t sign intent, in fact; it was a pressure-filled state of affairs whereby Uceta had missed spots badly on each the double to Stevenson and the house run to Turner. He’s additionally struggled with command up to now, coming into the season with a profession 11.9% stroll charge. It’s definitely possible that he was rattled by the second in an outing the place he’d already lacked command, but it surely’s concurrently comprehensible that the Phillies took exception and believed there to be intent.
Regardless, Money will probably be absent from tonight’s dugout, and Uceta might miss as much as three video games. Castellanos fortunately didn’t maintain any sort of damage on the play. He remained within the recreation and is again in tonight’s lineup. Leadoff slugger Kyle Schwarber, who tweaked his elbow on a dive again into first base final evening and was set for additional analysis as we speak, was initially within the lineup however was scratched simply minutes in the past after informing the workforce of lingering soreness in his elbow (X hyperlink through Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Harper will function the designated hitter tonight, and Kody Clemens will get the nod at first base.