MLB announces additional suspensions: Carlos Gomez gets three games, Gerrit Cole none
By Aaron Somers
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Major League Baseball wasted little time in handing down additional suspensions stemming from Sunday’s benches clearing brawl between the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Milwaukee’s Carlos Gomez has been handed a three game suspension after being centrally involved in the entire affair. Pittsburgh’s Travis Snider received a two game suspension and Russell Martin will miss one game.
Milwaukee’s Martin Maldonado already received a five game suspension earlier today.
MLB’s senior vice president of standards and on-field operations made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, noting that the players were suspended for “their aggressive actions during the bench-clearing incident”, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Each player has also received an undisclosed fine for their roles (though Maldonado’s fine has previously been reported as being for $2,500).
The entire incident triggered after Gomez hit a triple off of Pirates starter Gerrit Cole. Gomez was slow to get out of the box after connecting with the pitch, flipping his bat aside defiantly. Once the ball bounced off the center field wall Gomez realized that it was not out of the park and he kicked things into gear, racing from first to third before the ball could be relayed back in. It would have easily been an inside the park home run had he been running from the start. Upon reaching third base, Cole mouthed something to Gomez which set things in motion from there. The benches emptied until punches were thrown. Gomez and Snider could be seen wrapped up on the ground in video of the incident.
Cole, meanwhile, had moved away from the skirmish and back towards the mound. He would remain in the game where Gomez, Snider, and Brewers bench coach Jerry Narron would all receive ejections. Cole has not received any discipline for his involvement.
Unless these players appeal, the suspensions will begin immediately. Milwaukee hosts the San Diego Padres while the Pirates have the Cincinnati Reds in town.