Joe Musgrove wasn’t suspended for his actions in Monday night’s kerfuffle between the Pirates and Braves, but Atlanta third baseman Josh Donaldson was docked one game by Major League Baseball.
Donaldson was suspended prior to Tuesday’s night game between the Pirates and Braves at SunTrust Park. Donaldson appealed the suspension and is in the lineup hitting cleanup and playing third base.
Musgrove, Donaldson and Clint Hurdle were ejected in the first inning Monday night when the Braves beat the Pirates 13-7.
Musgrove hit Donaldson with pitch, grazing his jersey. Donaldson exchanged glares with Musgrove while walking to first base then took a few steps toward the mound, shoving Elias Diaz out of the way.
Both benches emptied but no punches were thrown. The only physical contact appeared to be Donaldson’s shove.
Donaldson told reporters he was bothered by what he felt was an aggressive reaction by Musgrove.
“I wasn’t really all that upset at all about getting hit by the pitch. It barely clipped me,” Donaldson said. “I feel like he came down the mound afterward. I looked away to try to give him a chance to look away from me. He kept coming down the mound and looking at me and obviously he had a problem with something.”
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