Dugout dust-up last straw for Nats’ Papelbon
Washington suspends closer effectively bringing season to an end for veteran reliever
WASHINGTON— The Washington Nationals have suspended closer Jonathan Papelbon for four games without pay for his dugout fight with star slugger Bryce Harper, which will end the pitcher’s season.
General manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement Monday that Papelbon’s actions Sunday in the game against Philadelphia are “not acceptable.”
Rizzo adds they are “not at all in line with the way our players are expected to conduct themselves and the Nationals organization will not tolerate it in any way.”
Papelbon also accepted a threegame suspension from Major League Baseball for throwing at Baltimore’s Manny Machado. The league suspension will begin Monday against Cincinnati. The suspension from the Nationals will begin Thursday and last the rest of the season.
Papelbon appeared to chide Harper for not running out a ball after he hit a pop fly to left field. Harper peeled off after the ball was caught and returned to the Nationals dugout and Papelbon began yelling at him while Harper was several feet from the mouth of the dugout. He moved toward the steps as Harper approached, and Harper appeared to tell Papelbon to quiet down.
It was then that Papelbon grabbed Harper by the neck with both hands as teammates interceded. Harper was removed from the game before the top of the ninth inning, with Papelbon pitching in a 4-4 game on Fan Appreciation Day.
Papelbon promptly gave up a goahead two-run home run to Phillies second baseman Andres Blanco and Philadelphia went on to score eight runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Papelbon, who gave up five runs in the eventual 12-4 loss, was removed by manager Matt Williams after drilling former teammate Odubel Herrera in the arm. He was later seen chatting amiably with ace Max Scherzer in the dugout.
“I’m in the wrong there. I’ve got to leave it up to our manager,” Papelbon said after the game. “There’s a lot of competition. It’s a long season, it’s a grind and I think we’re going to handle that in house and stuff like that.
“I talked to Bryce and told him how I feel. We’re on the same page now.”
Harper mostly avoided talk of the incident, but when asked of his chat with Papelbon — who said he and Harper “are good now” — Harper said:
“He apologized so, whatever. I don’t really care. It’s like brothers fighting. Hopefully, we go forward and do what I can for the next six games.
“You’re usually fighting the other team.”
The Nationals were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night, ensuring that the 2015 season will be remembered as a disappointing one. Papelbon and Harper’s fates crossed earlier this week when Papelbon was ejected — and then suspended — for throwing near the head of Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado. After the game, Harper bemoaned the fact that he’d be a likely target of retaliation for the Orioles.
The Orioles did not retaliate, and Papelbon appealed his three-game suspension from Major League Baseball.
A Washington Post report Saturday night noted that Williams had lost the clubhouse, with several players anonymously questioning his manner and the atmosphere created.
Perhaps Sunday’s episode only hints at the level of dysfunction within.