Matt Barnes Suspended 4 Games for Throwing at Manny Machado's Head

Boston Red Sox pitcher Matt Barnes was reportedly suspended four games Monday for his pitch that went near Baltimore Orioles slugger Manny Machado's head in Sunday's contest. 

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the news and noted Barnes will appeal the ruling.

ESPN.com detailed the multi-day situation that culminated in Barnes' eighth-inning pitch near Machado's head and also included three pitches near the Orioles third baseman's knees in the sixth inning from Eduardo Rodriguez.

Machado spiked Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia during a slide in Friday's contest, and Pedroia missed the next two games. Machado apologized via text message after the incident, but it didn't stop multiple Red Sox pitchers from throwing inside Sunday.

"I would never intentionally throw at someone's head," Barnes explained, per ESPN.com. "That's kind of a line you don't cross."

According to ESPN.com, Pedroia mouthed the words "It's not me" to Machado after Barnes' pitch in the eighth, indicating he wasn't the one seeking revenge for the Friday slide. "I had nothing to do with that," the veteran clarified. "That's not how you do that, man. I'm sorry to him and his team. If you're going to protect guys, you do it the right way."

Boston won Sunday's game 6-2 but will have to deal without Barnes and his 3.60 ERA out of the bullpen for four games if he doesn't win the appeal.

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