Tim Anderson will have some time to think about this one.
The White Sox shortstop was one of three players suspended for their roles in Saturday’s bench-clearing brawl with the Guardians.
Anderson has received the largest suspension of the trio at six games, while Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez received a three-game ban and Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase will miss one game.
Chicago manager Pedro Grifol and his Cleveland cohort Terry Francona received one-game suspensions apiece to go with undisclosed fines.
Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh was the recipient of a one-game ban, while White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech and Guardians outfielder Gabriel Arias escaped the brouhaha with undisclosed fines.
Anderson and Ramirez, the main combatants in the fist-swinging incident, are appealing their suspensions.
The brawl took place as the Guardians were down 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ramirez slid headfirst into second base after hitting an RBI double into right field and Anderson stood over him, straddling him.
As Ramirez got up, he pointed a finger and yelled at Anderson, which sparked the fight.
Anderson and Ramirez each took swings at each other, with Ramirez sending Anderson to the dirt with a punch to the jaw.
The bout triggered a clearing of the benches and six ejections in an extended melee that delayed Chicago’s 7-4 win.
“It’s not funny, but boys will be boys,” said Francona, who was ejected following the fight.
Francona wasn’t sure why the Anderson-Ramírez bout started but said that before the brawl Anderson had been told by one of the umpires to stop chirping at Arias.
“He has been disrespecting the game for a while,” Ramirez said through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “It’s not from yesterday. It’s from before. I even had the chance to tell him during the game, ‘Don’t do this stuff. That’s disrespectful. Don’t start tagging people like that,’ because in reality, we’re here trying to find ways to provide for our families.”
The distaste between the two infielders was palpable, even to those who hasn’t been mired in it for long.
“From the second I set foot in the clubhouse, I could tell these teams don’t like each other,” said Cleveland starter Noah Syndergaard, who was acquired in a trade last week. “And I don’t think it’s going to be resolved anytime soon.”