Mets skipper Rojas suspended, fined after outburst at PNC Park

New York Mets manager Luis Rojas was suspended Monday for two games and fined for excessive arguing with umpires, an outburst that followed a bizarre play a day earlier at PNC Park.

Rojas was to begin serving his suspension Monday night at Cincinnati. He said he was not offered the chance to appeal. The amount of the fine was not revealed. Bench coach Dave Jauss took over managerial duties.

Mets starter Taijuan Walker made a huge misplay in the first inning Sunday with the bases loaded and the Pirates leading 3-0. Kevin Newman hit a dribbler down the line and the ball started in foul territory but then began spinning back toward the line. Walker swooped in and swatted at the ball, trying to make contact while it was still foul. But TV replays showed the ball was touching the chalk when Walker hit it, and plate umpire Jeremy Riggs called it a fair ball.

Walker turned to argue the call as the ball rolled toward the Pirates dugout. No

Mets reacted to retrieve it and all three runners came around to score.

Walker said he didn’t realize the ball was still in play. Rojas immediately ran out to argue the call and was ejected.

“I got hot because it was a bad call,” Rojas said Monday. “He made an embarrassing play. That’s what led me to escalate the way I did.”

Orioles

Baltimore Orioles ace John Means will return from a left shoulder strain to start Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. The left-hander, 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA in 12 starts this season, last pitched on June 5. Means threw a no-hitter, falling short of a perfect game because of a wild pitch on a third strike, against Seattle on May 5.

Marlins

The Miami Marlins placed infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and infielder/outfielder Garrett Cooper on the 10-day injured list Monday after they got hurt Sunday at Philadelphia. Chisholm left in the first inning with a shoulder contusion. Cooper suffered a left elbow sprain after a collision at first base.