MLB hands out post-fight penalties

Major League Baseball wasted no time responding to Wednesday’s Red Sox-Yankees melee, handing out a six-game suspension to Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly and fivegame suspension to Yankees infielder Tyler Austin.

According to MLB.com, both players appealed their suspensions, meaning they were available for Thursday’s rubber match of the three-game rivalry series at Fenway Park. Each also received an undisclosed fine.

MLB also doled out fines to Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Yankees third-base coach Phil Nevin. Television cameras caught Cora shooing Nevin with a dismissive wave of his hand as Nevin screamed at the Red Sox dugout, a gesture Nevin called “unprofessional.”

Cora said his action was “out of character,” but he felt Nevin was out of line as well for pointing and yelling in Cora’s direction.

Among the others being assessed fines were Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and Red Sox players Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Pedroia and Marco Hernandez, all of whom are on the disabled list and weren’t supposed to go onto the field.

Kelly drilled Austin in the back during the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday’s 10-7 Yankees win, a possible retaliation for Austin sliding in with his right foot high and spiking Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt in the third inning.

Once Austin was hit by the pitch, he slammed his bat down and Kelly gestured for him to meet up at the mound. Both players threw several punches as benches and bullpens emptied.

“Hopefully it’s something that’s behind us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We’re here to play and try to get another win. I would think it’s absolutely behind us.”