Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos were suspended for one game apiece by Major League Baseball on Friday because of a scuffle that followed a collision at home plate.
Joe Torre A.J. Green Jersey , MLB’s chief baseball officer, announced the suspensions, along with undisclosed fines.
Chirinos was not in the Rangers’ lineup Friday night for a series opener at home against Colorado, and the team said he was serving his suspension. Kemp is appealing his suspension, and was in the lineup for Los Angeles’ game against San Francisco.
Kemp said he was surprised by the punishment and he appealed because he disagrees with it.
”Nothing happened,” he said. ”Just a little pushing. I’ve seen way worse happen. So I guess we’ll see what they decide, but I don’t agree with it.”
Kemp was trying to score from second base on a two-out single by Enrique Hernandez in the third inning of Wednesday night’s game at Dodger Stadium. Chirinos caught a pinpoint throw by right fielder Nomar Mazara and had his glove out to tag Kemp William Jackson Jersey , who barreled into the catcher with his arms up and leading with his shoulder. Chirinos’ helmet flew off as both he and Kemp fell to the ground.
Both benches and bullpens cleared after Chirinos and Kemp got up and shoved each other. Kemp was restrained by Rangers starter Cole Hamels.
No punches were thrown, but Chirinos and Kemp were both ejected.
”I think you can debate who instigated that confrontation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”There wasn’t a punch thrown on (Kemp’s) part. So I think, obviously, emotions on both sides. It’s old-school baseball and both teams move forward.”
Rules have been put in place to outlaw runners from plowing into catchers, and catchers have to give runners a lane to the plate in most cases. On this play, the throw home took Chirinos directly into Kemp’s path.
In a series of moves before Friday’s game Darqueze Dennard Jersey , the Rangers recalled catcher Jose Trevino from nearby Double-A Frisco even though they played with only 24 players because of the suspension.
Carlos Perez started behind the plate in place of Chirinos, but Perez rolled his right ankle while extending to catch a wide throw from the outfield in the second. Perez finished the inning in the field, but Trevino made his big league debut when he batted for Perez in the bottom half and remained in the game at catcher.
Texas placed right-handed relievers Matt Bush (right elbow strain) and Chris Martin (right calf strain) on the 10-day disabled list. Martin felt a twinge in his leg when running out of the bullpen Wednesday night at the start of the scuffle.
The Rangers also recalled right-hander Yohander Mendez from Triple-A Round Rock to start Friday night’s game, a day after infielder Hanser Alberto was sent back to Round Rock. Lefty reliever Brandon Mann was also recalled.
Mazara was a late scratch from the Texas lineup because of left wrist soreness.
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AP Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
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ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves left-hander Sean Newcomb hadn’t lost since his opening start of the season until falling to the Dodgers in Los Angeles last Sunday, ending a six-game winning streak.
Now Newcomb gets a chance to bounce back against one of the teams he blanked during the streak as the Braves face the San Diego Padres on Saturday in the third game of their four-game series at SunTrust Park.
The Padres ended an eight-game losing streak in Atlanta on Friday night, beating the National League East-leading Braves 7-3 for their 12th victory in the past 17 games.
Newcomb (7-2, 2.92 ERA) held the Padres (34-38) to three singles in six scoreless innings at San Diego on June 5 in a 14-1 rout that was the only victory for the Braves (40-29) in that three-game series.
Newcomb’s performance was a near duplicate of his first major league victory last June in San Diego and gave him a 1.31 ERA during a seven-start stretch.
“Every time he goes on the mound you’re pretty confident we are going to get the win that day Dre Kirkpatrick Jersey ,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said after going 4-for-4 with a homer. “He’s been lights-out for a long time.”
Newcomb hit a speed bump against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, though.
The 24-year-old native of Massachusetts gave up two first-pitch home runs, one on a three-run shot in the third inning, and allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 7-2 loss.
“I’ll do everything I can to not let it happen again,” Newcomb said. “I’ll take away the positives and move forward.”
Padres starter Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.83 ERA) gave up eight runs in 4 1/3 innings as the Braves made things easy for Newcomb in San Diego and the 27-year-old right-hander took another loss in his most recent start.
Lyles again allowed 11 hits and this time four runs in six innings against the Cardinals in St. Louis, getting just three swings and misses on 102 pitches.
Lyles’ rough stretch followed some impressive work in May after he was moved into the rotation from the bullpen. He took a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies in his second start and ended up allowing a hit and a walk while striking out 10 in 7 1/3 innings.
The Padres are the only major league team to never throw a no-hitter and Lyles was pitching against the team that released him last August.
“It would have been sweet regardless Geno Atkins Jersey ,” Lyles said afterward.
Lyles has a 6.35 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Braves, with the loss in San Diego last week his only decision.
Both Newcomb and Lyles are former first-round draft choices.
Newcomb, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in the Andrelton Simmons trade after the 2015 season, was the 15th overall pick in 2014.
Lyles was drafted by Houston as the 38th overall pick in 2008 and traded to Colorado after the 2013 season.