MLB suspends Pirates lefty Aroldis Chapman 2 games and fines him for ‘inappropriate actions’ vs Mets
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Aroldis Chapman was suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount Thursday for his “inappropriate actions” against the New York Mets three days earlier.
Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field operations, made the announcement and said Chapman’s suspension begins Friday when the Pirates are scheduled to host Boston. Chapman could appeal, which would delay the punishment until that process is complete.
Chapman (0-1) was ejected by plate umpire Edwin Moscoso after Harrison Bader doubled in the eighth inning of the Pirates’ 6-3 loss to the Mets.
“He evidently said something that the umpire did not like,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.
On Thursday, Major League Baseball announced that they were disciplining Chapman over the incident with Mescoso. Chapman is being suspended for two games and also being fined (though he can appeal the punishment, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post).
That already looked like a very quick hook on Mescoso’s part, so it is even stranger that Chapman is being suspended for two more games on top of it. Seemingly the only plausible explanation is that Chapman must have said something pretty offensive to Mescoso there.
For Chapman, who now owns a 4.76 ERA over nine appearances thus far in his first season with Pittsburgh, we have seen much more heated incidents involving him before. But Monday’s exchange with Mescoso did not quite seem to rise to the same level.
