MLB hands out eight suspensions for brawl

Major League Baseball issued eight suspensions two days after the fight at Great American Ball Park between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds.

Pirates pitcher Keone Kela was suspended for 10 games, Reds reliever Amir Garrett for eight and outfielder Yasiel Puig for three.

Reds manager David Bell was suspended six games and Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was penalized two games, to begin Friday night when the Pirates host the New York Mets.

Three players on each team were suspended and fined undisclosed amounts, and all of them have elected to appeal.

Indians’ Francona has eye surgery

Indians manager Terry Francona was forced to miss Thursday night’s game against Houston after having eye surgery earlier in the day.

The team said the operation was unexpected. Francona, 60, was expected to return Friday when Cleveland hosts the Angels.

Bench coach Brad Mills served as manager for the finale of the three-game series.

Home run record should fall this year

Batters are on pace to hit 600 more home runs than in any previous season, nearly 10% above the record set two years ago. A total of 4,478 home runs were hit in 1,621 games through Wednesday, an average of 2.76 per game.

Batters are on pace to hit 6,712 home runs, well above the record 6,105 set in 2017 and up 20% from 5,585 last year.

Strikeouts project to 42,607, which would top last year's 41,207 and set a record for the 12th straight season.

Etc.

Danny Farquhar, who suffered a brain hemorrhage in the Chicago White Sox dugout last season, rejoined the team as its new minor league pitching instructor . ... The Chicago White Sox put third baseman Yoan Moncada on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring.