The most discussed on-field incident, to date, of the 2020 MLB season will cost the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Wednesday, MLB announced that Los Angeles pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended eight games after it was deemed he intentionally threw at Houston Astros batters Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in the bottom of the sixth inning of Tuesday's game.
Joe Kelly and Dave Roberts suspended for Dodgers-Astros incident: pic.twitter.com/USYI2OxZKk
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 29, 2020
Kelly's history of purposely targeting hitters from the bump resulted in what some viewed as too severe a punishment.
The eight-game suspension for Joe Kelly in a 60-game season is the equivalent of a 22-game suspension in a 162-game season. Seems…harsh.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2020
MLB also banned Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts for one game. Astros manager Dusty Baker received a fine.
Revelations that the Astros used technology to illegally steal signs belonging to opposing teams during the 2017 and 2018 seasons made the club public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of some fans and players. Nevertheless, MLB sent a message that league officials don't want to see anything like what happened at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday again this year.
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