Aroldis Chapman suspended for three games; Kevin Cash and Aaron Boone both suspended one game

Major League Baseball has handed out suspensions following Tuesday’s night bench clearing postgame fracas between the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.

The incident occurred immediately following the game due to Yankees pitcher Aroldis Chapman throwing a fastball registering at 101 mph over the head of Rays infielder Mike Brosseau. The plate appearance concluded with Brosseau striking out, ending the game.

On his way back to the dugout, words began to be exchanged between the two sides with the Rays bench, as well as the bullpens of both teams, taking the field. There appeared to be no physical contact made between either side, but plenty of words being exchange with the Rays saying Yankee third base coach Phil Nevin providing the majority of the ‘chirping.’

During the first inning of the game, Masahiro Tanaka, among the best pitchers in the game in terms of command, missed badly inside on a pitch and then hit Rays infielder Joey Wendle in the ribcage with a fastball. Some believe this may have been intentional, but Tanaka remained in the game and did not receive a punishment from the MLB.

Following the game, Kevin Cash went a tirade and was super critical of the Yankees’ management stating that “It’s poor judgment. Poor coaching. It’s just poor teaching, what they’re doing, and what they’re allowing to do. The chirping from the dugout.”

However, Cash may have added more fuel to the fire by finishing off his postgame press conference with a statement that might lead some to believing the Rays will be seeking retribution during Wednesday’s series finale between the two sides.

“And the last thing I’ll say on it is I’ve got a whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 miles an hour. Period.”

For his comments, Cash was suspended for one game. Meanwhile Aroldis Chapman was suspended for three games for intentionally throwing at Brosseau’s head while the Yankees manager Aaron Boone is also suspended for one game; both managers will serve their suspensions on Wednesday.

Earlier this season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games after intentionally throwing at the Houston Astros; an appeal dropped that suspension to five games.

This incident is just another chapter being added to the growing tension that is amounting between these two teams, seemingly stemming from a series back in September of 2018.