Pirates pitcher Chapman gets suspended for pair of games
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever 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, said Chapman's suspension begins today 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.
Chapman, 36, is in his 15th major league season and has compiled 322 total saves with six different teams. RED SOX'S DEVERS HAS BONE BRUISE >> Boston Red Sox All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers has a bone bruise in his left knee, manager Alex Cora said.
Devers, who wasn't in the lineup, had an MRI before Boston's loss to Cleveland on Thursday.
“At least we have an idea of what it is,” Cora said. “He should be fine.”
After leaving Tuesday's game with left knee discomfort, Devers was in Boston's lineup as the designated hitter Wednesday. He went hitless in four at-bats with three strikeouts.
Devers is batting just .188 with two home runs and five RBIs this season.
Also Thursday, the Red Sox placed outfielder Tyler O'Neill on the sevenday injured list, retroactive to April 16.
The team leader with seven home runs, O'Neill hasn't played since Monday when he left the game after colliding with Devers. O'Neill needed eight stitches in his forehead. STRUGGLING 'STROS >> Through 20 games, the Houston Astros have managed just six wins and are in last place in the AL West.
Their pitching staff trails only Colorado with a 5.24 ERA and big-money new closer Josh Hader has given up the same number of earned runs in 10 games as he did in 61 last year.
“It's not what we expected, to come out of the shoot playing this type of baseball,” said first-year manager Joe Espada, who was hired in January to replace the retired Dusty Baker. “But you know what, this is where we're at and we've got to pick it up and play better. That's just the bottom line.”
Many of Houston's problems have stemmed from a poor performance by a rotation that has been decimated by injuries. Ace Justin Verlander and fellow starter José Urquidy haven't pitched this season because of injuries and lefty Framber Valdez made just two starts before landing on the injured list with a sore elbow.
Ronel Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his season debut April 1, has pitched well and is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three starts. Cristian Javier is also off to a good start, going 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in four starts, but the team has won just two games not started by those two pitchers.
The good news for the Astros is that Verlander will make his season debut tonight at Washington.