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Yasiel Puig, Amir Garrett, Keone Kela, More Suspended for Pirates vs. Reds Brawl
August 1, 2019
Punishments have officially been handed out in the aftermath of the extended benches-clearing brawl between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pittsburgh won the July 30 game at Great American Ball Park 11-4, but the final score took a backseat to the fireworks in the closing innings. As a result, both managers and several players have been suspended, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Here's the complete breakdown:
- Reds manager David Bell (six games)
- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle (two games)
- Pirates pitcher Keone Kela (10 games)
- Reds pitcher Amir Garrett (eight games)
- Pirates infielder Jose Osuna (five games)
- Reds pitcher Jared Hughes (three games)
- Pirates pitcher Kyle Crick (three games)
- Reds (now Indians) outfielder Yasiel Puig (three games)
Major League Baseball announced Garrett and Puig were ejected from the contest on the Reds' side, along with Crick and pitchers Chris Archer and Trevor Williams for the Pirates.
ESPN.com summarized the proceedings that led to the ejections and now suspensions, noting tensions flared when Kela threw up-and-in to Derek Dietrich—who has his own recent history with Pittsburgh—in the seventh. Joey Votto exchanged words with the right-hander, but the brawl didn't happen until the ninth.
Garrett charged at Pittsburgh's dugout after he was removed from the game in the final frame, which caused both teams to storm the field and start throwing punches and shoves. Puig was also held back after charging toward the Pirates.
It wasn't just the players who turned heads, as Bell ran back onto the field during the brawl even though he had been ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes. Bell shouted at Hurdle during the incident.
It was stunning that Puig was not only involved in the brawl but also in the game at all. Jeff Passan of ESPN had already reported he was included in a three-team trade between the Reds, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres.
Puig was part of the package that went to Cleveland, while Cincinnati landed pitcher Trevor Bauer.
It was a fitting way for Puig to end his tenure with the Reds considering he was a central figure of the team's previous brawl with the Pirates.
He and Garrett were among those ejected during an April 7 game that included a fight when Archer threw behind Dietrich's back after the slugger admired a home run in a previous at-bat.
There was a moment when it appeared Puig was ready to fight the entire Pirates team:
Puig is no longer part of the National League Central rivalry after he was traded to the Indians, but that didn't stop MLB from doling out its latest punishments.