Tim Anderson Suspended 6 Games, José Ramírez Gets 3 for White Sox-Guardians Fight

It was always heading this way as soon as Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez squared up to fight during Saturday's game.

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it had suspended Anderson six games and Ramírez three games for their roles in the fight.

They weren't the only ones punished, as Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was suspended one game, as were managers Terry Francona and Pedro Grifol and Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh. Each of the players and coaches suspended received an undisclosed fine.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers first reported the bans.

Chicago won the game 7-4, but the final score and actual baseball was far from the biggest storyline.

Ramírez slid headfirst into second base during the sixth inning, and Anderson stood over him. The Guardians star then pointed his finger in Anderson's face while yelling before they squared up and exchanged punches.

Anderson took the worst of it on a Ramírez punch and fell to the ground before appearing to stumble in the aftermath.

Clase, Francona, Grifol and Sarbaugh were also all ejected from the ensuing scuffle.

"I think he's been disrespecting the game for a while," Ramírez told reporters when discussing Anderson. "I was telling him to stop doing that. After he tapped me really hard, more than needed, he said he wanted to fight and I had to defend myself."

Whatever suspensions were handed down were always going to be more consequential for the Guardians than the White Sox.

After all, Chicago is just playing out the string in a lost season. What's more, this has been an abysmal campaign for Anderson, who is slashing .244/.285/.292 with one home run and 19 RBI.

Cleveland is still trying to catch the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central and is 4.5 games back heading into the stretch run.

Ramírez is a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger who is the anchor of the team's lineup, making his absence all the more difficult during a key part of the season.