Rangers’ Rougned Odor Suspended Eight Games For Punching Jays’ Jose Bautista

Major League Baseball suspended Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor eight games on Tuesday for punching Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista in Sunday’s game, an action that quickly led to an all-out brawl.

Rangers’ Rougned Odor Suspended Eight Games

Odor, who is among four players suspended, will appeal his suspension and remains eligible to play until either the appeal is heard or he drops it. Fellow Ranger Elvis Andrus was suspended one game and will not appeal; instead, he will serve his suspension Tuesday night when the Rangers play at Oakland.

In the eighth inning of Sunday’s game at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, Bautista slid hard into Odor and then squared up as if to fight after Odor pushed him. Moments before, Rangers reliever Matt Bush hit Bautista with a pitch. In total, 14 players and staff members were disciplined for their involvement in the brawl that ensued. Toronto relief pitcher Jesse Chavez was suspended three games for what MLB stated was intentionally throwing at Prince Fielder in the bottom of the eighth, as was Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, who had already been ejected earlier in Sunday’s game but returned despite “inciting further fighting,” as the league said in a statement.

“I thought that was a little excessive,” Gibbons said regarding the length of his suspension. “But what are you going to do? I’ve got enough issues to worry about.”

First-base coach Toronto Tim Leiper was handed a one-game ban for returning to the dugout after his ejection. Both Leiper and Gibbons were fined undisclosed amounts.

“The rules are fair for punishment,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “They are in place for a reason. We’ll live by them and move on.”

Tensions between the two teams dated to Game 5 of October’s American League Division Series, when Bautista’s demonstrative bat flip provoked a strong reaction from the Rangers that caused both benches to empty.

Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson, who also participated in the melee, received a $1,000 fine but no suspension.

Bench coach DeMarlo Hale will manage the Blue Jays while Gibbons serves his suspension, which began Tuesday night with a 12-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Odor was fined $5,000, according to Yahoo! Sports.

“I knew I was going to be suspended,” Odor said before Texas’ 8-5 loss to Oakland, which came on a walk-off grand slam by Khris Davis. “I have to follow the rules, and I’m just waiting for the appeal. I want to be with my team all year. I don’t want to be out eight games.”

PHOTO: ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 30: Rougned Odor #12 of the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April 30, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena