Yadier Molina Reportedly Fined $5,000 for Shoving Umpire During Game 1 of NLDS

Tensions boil over in the blink of an eye in MLB, and the playoff spotlight can intensify those altercations. We learned that once again in Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, and Yadier Molina—a central figure in the near-brawl—will have to pay for crossing the line.

The Cardinals catcher was slapped with a $5,000 fine on Friday for an apparent shove of umpire Jerry Meals during the spat, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. 

There were no punches thrown in the dust-up that began with Yasiel Puig being hit by Adam Wainwright's pitch and escalated into a face-to-face altercation between Molina and Adrian Gonzalez. Although Molina didn't receive an ejection for his Game 1 actions, punishment was on the horizon as far back as Monday, per Heyman's previous report. 

Molina had a bone to pick with Gonzalez after the incident, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

While it was Gonzalez that Molina was after, there was little doubt he made excessive contact with the umpire, and the decision not to eject him was controversial. With that said, it wasn't surprising to see analysts like Jason Collette thinking the fine was a bit lenient:

Molina's wallet may take a minor hit, but his team's play should have him feeling like a winner regardless. The Cardinals disposed of the Dodgers in four games to advance to the National League Championship Series, where they'll once again face the San Francisco Giants for a spot in the World Series. 

Fortunately for manager Mike Matheny, he'll be able to begin that series with one of his most important players avoiding a suspension.