Toronto’s Pillar gets suspended for slur
Toronto Blue Jays centerfielder Kevin Pillar was suspended two games Thursday for yelling an anti-gay slur at a Braves pitcher.
The Blue Jays suspended Pillar without pay shortly after he apologized in a statement, saying he was “completely and utterly embarrassed” by the word he directed at Jason Motte.
Pillar was angry at Motte for allegedly quickpitching him to get a strikeout that ended the seventh inning in Atlanta’s 8-4 victory Wednesday night.
Replays appeared to show Pillar using the slur as he shouted toward the mound. After what he described as a sleepless night, the player acknowledged his wrongdoing.
“I regret saying it,” Pillar said. “I’m going to use myself as an example of how there are words out there you can’t use . ... It’s something that just came out.”
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins flew to Atlanta to apologize on behalf of the organization and announce the suspension, which he said was deemed appropriate by Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Pillar missed Thursday’s game against the Braves, as well as Friday’s game at Baltimore. He will forfeit approximately $6,066 of his $555,000 salary, with the money donated to charity. Pillar also will pay an undisclosed fine.
Pillar said he called Motte to apologize.
Freeman shelved: The Atlanta Braves are looking for help at first base after losing Freddie Freeman for about 10 weeks due to a broken left wrist.
President of baseball operations John Hart said he knows no player can replace the production lost by the injury to Freeman, who shared the majorleague lead with 14 homers and was hitting .341.
Freeman was hurt when hit by a pitch from Toronto’s Aaron Loup during the fifth inning of an 8-4 victory over the Blue Jays on Wednesday night. Manfred eyes game in Europe: Manfred remains hopeful the sport can play regular-season games in Europe for the first time in 2019.
MLB had hoped to have European games in 2018, possibly between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in London, but decided there was not enough time to get plans in place.