The fallout from the Pirates' Tuesday night brawl in Cincinnati is official, and Keone Kela took the worst of it.
Kela was suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball for "intentionally throwing at Derek Dietrich's head," one of eight suspensions issued Thursday afternoon by Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer. The suspensions are effective with each team's next game, the Reds' tonight in Atlanta and the Pirates' tomorrow against the Mets at PNC Park, pending appeals.
All four suspended Pirates:
• Kela got the 10 games for the pitch that sailed over Dietrich in the ninth inning, as well as "his role in instigating the bench-clearing incident," per Torre. Kela acknowledged after the game that the pitch came with a purpose, as Dietrich had ticked off the Pirates with his home run posing earlier in the season at PNC Park.
• José Osuna got five games for "his aggressive and inappropriate actions during the ninth inning," Torre wrote.
• Kyle Crick got three games for "his inappropriate actions during the ninth inning."
• Clint Hurdle got two games for "his club’s conduct during the incident and his club’s multiple intentional pitches thrown at Dietrich this season."
And the four for the Reds:
• Amir Garrett got eight games for "inciting the bench-clearing incident by running to the area outside the Pirates’ dugout and throwing a punch."
• Jared Hughes got three games for "intentionally throwing a pitch at Starling Marte."
• Yasiel Puig, who's since been traded to the Indians, got three games for "his aggressive actions."
• David Bell, the manager, got six games for "returning to the field following his ejection, escalating the incident with his aggressive actions, his club’s intentional pitch at Marte, and his numerous ejections this season." The ejection was Bell's eighth in 2019.
All six players elected to appeal. Neither manager did.
There also were undisclosed fines issued to the Pirates' Trevor Williams, the Reds' Joey Votto and Phillip Ervin, as well as what the statement described as an additional "number of players from both clubs ... fines for participating in the bench-clearing incident while on the Injured List."
Torre made a general statement: “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. 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.”
DK'S VIEW
I knew Kela would get it. His suspension is appropriate, and it was eminently predictable once he acknowledged in the clubhouse that he threw at Dietrich with a purpose.
But I'm blown away that Garrett and Bell didn't get just as much, if not more. Garrett's actions were so over the top, so far outside the realm of the sport, that his example was the worst of all, in my view. And Bell, between his returning to the field after being ejected -- which would merit a suspension on its own -- and his own theatrics and history ... and then his thinly veiled threat in his nearly-teary press conference of continuing this ... I thought there was a good chance his would be longest of all. It's deeply disappointing that it wasn't.
That said, Torre's overall response was swift, strong and unmistakable. The additional statement was smart, as well, given the extraordinary circumstance at hand. This isn't just another rivalry. This wasn't just another brawl. It's gotten way, way out of hand.
Anyone who wants to discuss further, I'll poke down into comments in a few.
To continue reading, log into your account:
