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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been suspended for six games while Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez received three games and closer Emmanuel Clase one game for their parts in Saturday’s bench-clearing brawl between the two teams, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Also suspended for a game were managers Pedro Grifol and Terry Francona as well as Guardians coach Mike Sarbaugh.
Anderson and Ramirez are appealing their suspensions, so their discipline will be held in abeyance until the process is complete. Grifol, Francona and Clase will serve their suspensions on Monday, while Sarbaugh will serve his on Tuesday.
The two teams clashed when Ramirez and Anderson squared off near second base after Ramirez slid in safely on a double in the bottom of the sixth. The fight was the culmination of several days of trash-talking and gesturing between the two teams, which most recently picked up in a series in late July in Chicago.
In a game on July 27, Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor imitated former Sox third baseman Jake Burger‘s base hit celebration and Anderson took exception, according to sources familiar with the situation. In that same game, Clase struck out Andrew Benintendi looking to end the game, then yelled in the direction of the White Sox’s dugout. Anderson, in particular, could be seen looking out at the mound from the White Sox’s dugout as the Guardians celebrated their win.
Over the next few games, Anderson increased his trash-talking, including carrying it over to Cleveland for their weekend series. On Friday, Anderson pulled Guardians infielder Brayan Rocchio off the bag at second, leading to him being called out, further angering Cleveland players.
The fight between Anderson and Ramirez was a culmination of all those events.
All parties incurred fines along with their suspensions. Also fined were White Sox starter Michael Kopech and Guardians outfielder Gabriel Arias.